Holly Willoughby has withdrawn from the spotlight in light of this year’s turmoil (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Holly Willoughby has been staying out of the spotlight since her dramatic exit from This Morning but friend Leigh Francis has given a worrying update.
Her future as host of Dancing On Ice is still in question after she quit the morning programme after 14 years in a ‘difficult goodbye’.
The 42-year-old presenter had a difficult year following the scandal surrounding her co-star Phillip Schofield and a terrifying kidnap and murder plot.
Accused security officer Gavin Plumb, 36, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and was denied bail in the latest court updates.
While Holly stays silent, her longtime friend Leigh, 50, has shared insight into the mental state of his Celebrity Juice co-star.
‘I don’t think she’s in a good place. She’s having a tough time,’ he told Sunday People.
Leigh Francis has been texting his friend to keep up her spirits (Picture: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Plumb was arrested on Wednesday, October 4, and appeared in the dock two days later where the court heard that he had allegedly contacted a hitman in the US to murder the star and had weapons stashed in his home.
His trial date is fixed for June 24 next year, with Holly sharing she had to ‘make this decision for [her] and [her] family.’
Leigh, better known as Keith Lemon, added: ‘I just text her? I don’t ask how she is, but I send her some messages to cheer her up.
‘I just go, “Hope you’re OK”, and tell her about things I’ve bought. Like, “I’ve just wasted my money on some Spider-Man Crocs, Holly? do you like them?”‘
He didn’t share any of Holly’s replies but added that he wasn’t sure if she was planning to return for the next season of Dancing on Ice.
She is apparently going through a ‘tough time’ (Picture: Joe Maher/WireImage)
The pair had become friends through their time on Celebrity Juice, over 12 years together with Holly leaving in 2020.
This left Leigh as the only original cast member on the show, with the star confessing he almost left with his friend.
Despite their close friendship, the pair apparently hadn’t seen each other for months as of September.
He told MailOnline he hadn’t seen his pal since his birthday party in April, admitting: ‘The last time I saw Holly was on my birthday. I haven’t seen her since all the telly drama.
‘April was the last time I saw her in real life. Throughout all the telly drama, I just text people and go, ‘Are you ok?’.’
Metro has reached out to Holly’s representatives for comment.
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She’s having a ‘tough time’