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The Irish Sun
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I'm in the controversial Holly Willoughby Plot to Kill doc and there's even more to this story that you didn't see on TV
I VIVIDLY remember the moment Holly Willoughby sensationally resigned from This Morning with a carefully written statement as details emerged of a mysterious and spine-chilling kidnap plot. Within moments my phone rang as 15 Channel 5 aired a documentary on the plot to kidnap and murder Holly Willoughby Credit: PA 15 Josh Rom is featured on the true crime Channel 5 programme Credit: Channel 5 15 Gavin Plumb's plot was foiled after a series of disastrous events Credit: Channel 5 15 The Channel 5 documentary suggested his plot was always doomed to fail Credit: PA Having Although she would be the consummate professional with a sharp focus on the programme, But this day, it was different. I could tell that even an experienced broadcaster like Vanessa - toughened by decades of navigating the shark infested waters of showbiz - felt completely shaken by the emerging story that Holly had been at the centre of a foiled murder plot. READ MORE ON HOLLY Visibly harrowed, I asked her if Holly was okay and, knowing the sensitivity around the subject, I told her that she didn't have to give me an answer. With a solemn expression, she simply shook her head. There was a distinctly human element to the story that did not sink in until that moment. And that's all that was needed. As a showbiz reporter working on the circuit for the last decade, A volcano of chaos That's why I appeared in the Channel 5 documentary telling the story of the chilling plot to kidnap and murder Holly. Most read in News TV The 90-minute docuseries titled The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughy This included the revelations about Holly Willoughby finally smiling again after 'living in absolute fear' following kidnap plot But it only touched upon the fact that Plumb's arrest marked the eruption of a I worked with Eamonn Holmes at a TV station in Paddington in 2022. Here, he briefly mentioned to me about some of the more troublesome things happening at ITV. But I also saw a lot of it with my own eyes. 15 I have covered the scandals surrounding This Morning at length Credit: Channel 5 15 Gavin Plumb's sick and twisted videos were chilling to watch Credit: PA 15 His kidnap kit contained disgusting materials after years of obsessive sexual delusions Credit: PA 15 Plumb was housebound and could only walk short distances Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 15 He was given three life sentences after police discovered his twisted sexual fantasy Credit: PA Around 2018, when I was working as TalkRadio's Entertainment Correspondent, I came across a number One of them was a Visit our Holly Willoughby page for the latest updates This young man would turn out to be at When he spoke, he was keen to emphasise just how delightful Holly Willoughby was to work with, painting her as an insanely confident host who radiated constant sunshine and who helped him with his presenting showreel. He emphasised that this was someone who just loved what she did. Many people in the industry had plenty to say about Phillip and Holly and But for many years, what was so apparent to all of us was just how much Holly and Phil loved working with each other, how much they enjoyed the show, and how passionate they both were about making their edition of This Morning the best in the show's long history. We all remember them But the blue skies of the iconic This Morning River Thames background could not quite hide the dark clouds that began to envelop as the hurricane slowly started to build. I was previously told Phillip took issue with the way he was presented On the page, he looked slightly disconcerted as Holly beamed with a crown that was drawn on her head. The headline read 'Queen Holly. How Holly Willoughby eclipsed Phillip Schofield and became Britain's hottest TV star'. Then came the reported behind-the-scenes rows over Holly wanted to front the show with an all-female presenting team. But Phillip went over her head to bosses in protestation Then there was the It can be said that the public never quite looked at them in the same way and Then came the high-profile fallout over lingering questions around By this point of Visit our This Morning page for the latest updates After making that infamous A somewhat ironic choice given this was the country where she and Phil used to spend years of summers together. Although ITV wanted to prove the show was bigger than just one star, the ghost of the scandals and Phillip's career loomed large over the set. Producers struggled to recreate that 'magic' that Holly mentioned Of course, this was shown at the She told me: "I think at the moment, what the future holds I don't think any of us yet know … But I think it's like taking it one day as it comes." I was later told by a number of sources that she was actually advised not to talk to any reporters that night, yet here she seemingly wanted to prove her show would continue, emitting Despite There was once a time where barely a day went by where Holly didn't appear somewhere on the telly. As the Channel 5 documentary showed in gruesome detail, His videos showing off the murder kit made up of rope, handcuffs, shackles, a ball gag, What the future holds I don't think any of us yet know … But I think it's like taking it one day as it comes." Holly Willoughby Speaking to me at the 2023 NTAs The fact he built up a sexual obsession over multiple years, using degrading deep fake material When we filmed the documentary, the director This documentary showed that being a celebrity may come with privileges, but fame brings vulnerabilities and in this case, a life-threatening danger. 15 Holly returned to work on Dancing On Ice but it is clear the impact of the case will have deeply affected her Credit: WIREIMAGE 15 At the time of 'Queuegate,' Holly was blamed far more for the scandal Credit: Channel 5 15 Her huge fallout with Phillip Schofield may have played a huge part in her decision to ultimately quit the show Credit: Rex 15 A grim-faced Holly reacting to the news of her long-time co-host's departure Credit: ITV 15 ITV couldn't recreate the 'magic' that Holly mentioned on screen Credit: ITV 15 The TV star has been seen far more sparingly on-screen since her This Morning departure Credit: Getty You can stream The Plot To Kill Holly Willoughby back on 5.
Scottish Sun
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I'm in the controversial Holly Willoughby Plot to Kill doc and there's even more to this story that you didn't see on TV
After an absolutely brutal year for Holly, it was the straw that broke the camel's back HOLLY'S HELL I'm in the controversial Holly Willoughby Plot to Kill doc and there's even more to this story that you didn't see on TV I VIVIDLY remember the moment Holly Willoughby sensationally resigned from This Morning with a carefully written statement as details emerged of a mysterious and spine-chilling kidnap plot. Within moments my phone rang as the team from TalkTV hurriedly invited me into the NewsUK studios with Vanessa Feltz, Holly's long-time ITV colleague and co-star. Advertisement 15 Channel 5 aired a documentary on the plot to kidnap and murder Holly Willoughby Credit: PA 15 The Sun's Joshua Rom is featured in Channel 5's docuseries The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughy Credit: Channel 5 15 Gavin Plumb's plot was foiled after a series of disastrous events Credit: Channel 5 15 The Channel 5 documentary suggested his plot was always doomed to fail Credit: PA Having worked with Vanessa for a number of months on her TalkRadio show, the mood would mostly be jovial whenever I walked into the studio. Advertisement Although she would be the consummate professional with a sharp focus on the programme, in true Feltz form, an energetic chinwag would always occur before we went on air. But this day, it was different. I could tell that even an experienced broadcaster like Vanessa - toughened by decades of navigating the shark infested waters of showbiz - felt completely shaken by the emerging story that Holly had been at the centre of a foiled murder plot. Visibly harrowed, I asked her if Holly was okay and, knowing the sensitivity around the subject, I told her that she didn't have to give me an answer. With a solemn expression, she simply shook her head. There was a distinctly human element to the story that did not sink in until that moment. And that's all that was needed. Advertisement As a showbiz reporter working on the circuit for the last decade, I had extensively covered multiple scandals and spoken to a number of insiders who worked on This Morning before Gavin Plumb's hideous scheme was finally exposed. A volcano of chaos That's why I appeared in the Channel 5 documentary telling the story of the chilling plot to kidnap and murder Holly. The 90-minute docuseries titled The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughy took a look into the mind of a dangerous fantasist explaining how Plumb's subversive activity came to light following months of scandals surrounding the show. This included the revelations about Phillip Schofield's affair with a younger colleague and intense public outrage over Holly and Phil's decision to seemingly skip The Queue at the Queen's lying-in-state. Holly Willoughby finally smiling again after 'living in absolute fear' following kidnap plot But it only touched upon the fact that Plumb's arrest marked the eruption of a volcano of drama and chaos that started long before - and one that I was witness to. Advertisement I worked with Eamonn Holmes at a TV station in Paddington in 2022. Here, he briefly mentioned to me about some of the more troublesome things happening at ITV. But I also saw a lot of it with my own eyes. 15 I have covered the scandals surrounding This Morning at length Credit: Channel 5 15 Gavin Plumb's sick and twisted videos were chilling to watch Credit: PA Advertisement 15 His kidnap kit contained disgusting materials after years of obsessive sexual delusions Credit: PA 15 Plumb was housebound and could only walk short distances Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 15 He was given three life sentences after police discovered his twisted sexual fantasy Credit: PA Around 2018, when I was working as TalkRadio's Entertainment Correspondent, I came across a number of production crew from This Morning who tried their best to paint a picture-perfect atmosphere of the life on the show. One of them was a young male runner who wasn't backward in showing off his closeness to the nation's favourite presenting duo. Advertisement Visit our Holly Willoughby page for the latest updates This young man would turn out to be at the centre of the huge scandal which caused the downfall of Phillip Schofield's career. When he spoke, he was keen to emphasise just how delightful Holly Willoughby was to work with, painting her as an insanely confident host who radiated constant sunshine and who helped him with his presenting showreel. He emphasised that this was someone who just loved what she did. Many people in the industry had plenty to say about Phillip and Holly and the alleged toxicity behind the scenes of This Morning. But for many years, what was so apparent to all of us was just how much Holly and Phil loved working with each other, how much they enjoyed the show, and how passionate they both were about making their edition of This Morning the best in the show's long history. Advertisement We all remember them turning up to work completely drunk or hangover after the National Television Awards. Other presenters would never get away with it, yet they did, partly because of their inseparable bond. But the blue skies of the iconic This Morning River Thames background could not quite hide the dark clouds that began to envelop as the hurricane slowly started to build. I was previously told Phillip took issue with the way he was presented over a cover of The Sunday Times Magazine. On the page, he looked slightly disconcerted as Holly beamed with a crown that was drawn on her head. The headline read 'Queen Holly. How Holly Willoughby eclipsed Phillip Schofield and became Britain's hottest TV star'. Advertisement Then came the reported behind-the-scenes rows over International Women's Day. Holly wanted to front the show with an all-female presenting team. But Phillip went over her head to bosses in protestation leaving her 'incandescent with rage'. Then there was the fallout from 'Queuegate' where Holly, Phil and their boss Martin Frizell were escorted to the media platform in Westminster Hall. It can be said that the public never quite looked at them in the same way and Holly took on the brunt of the scandal. Then came the high-profile fallout over lingering questions around Phillip's paedophile brother and the revelations surrounding his affair with the younger male colleague. Advertisement By this point of Holly's own 'Annus Horribilis', people were openly questioning if the show – and Holly by extension – could even survive the summer. Visit our This Morning page for the latest updates After making that infamous 'Are you okay? I hope so' statement, Holly opted to escape the drama and speculation with a holiday to Portugal to get a rest before a big September relaunch. A somewhat ironic choice given this was the country where she and Phil used to spend years of summers together. ITV's strategy around This Morning was similar to the way it built GMB around Susanna Reid after Piers Morgan's departure. Despite a huge musical number in the Wood Crescent courtyard, producers struggled to recreate that 'magic' that Holly mentioned in her dramatic on-air statement. Advertisement Although ITV wanted to prove the show was bigger than just one star, the ghost of the scandals and Phillip's career loomed large over the set. Producers struggled to recreate that 'magic' that Holly mentioned Of course, this was shown at the 2023 National Television Awards. Holly usually avoided chats on the red carpet before the ceremony in previous years, but here she was with a somewhat defiant front as she confronted the issues head on. She came straight over to me as I gathered material for my TalkRadio segment with Petrie Hosken – another former This Morning contributor and I asked her about the future. She told me: "I think at the moment, what the future holds I don't think any of us yet know … But I think it's like taking it one day as it comes." I was later told by a number of sources that she was actually advised not to talk to any reporters that night, yet here she seemingly wanted to prove her show would continue, emitting the same optimism that the runner suggested all those years ago. Advertisement Despite losing the daytime award to The Repair Shop, it was all systems go until the day she disappeared from screens under a shroud of mystery. There was once a time where barely a day went by where Holly didn't appear somewhere on the telly. Plumb's plot may well have been that life-changing moment that made Holly reevaluate what truly matters. She's been seen only sparingly on our screens and this may well continue following the Dancing On Ice axe and her exit from You Bet! - and I expect this to continue. As the Channel 5 documentary showed in gruesome detail, Gavin Plumb's plot was absolutely frightening in both scope and intent. His videos showing off the murder kit made up of rope, handcuffs, shackles, a ball gag, and bottles of chloroform were just sickening to watch. Advertisement What the future holds I don't think any of us yet know … But I think it's like taking it one day as it comes." Holly Willoughby The fact he built up a sexual obsession over multiple years, using degrading deep fake material was the very definition of vile. But being mostly housebound and unable to walk long distances, experts on the programme suggested that he thankfully would never have been able to carry out his deluded, twisted and evil plot. When we filmed the documentary, the director emphasised to me how sensitive we had to be in our approach. It's clear the effect the plot would have had on Holly could not be overstated. This documentary showed that being a celebrity may come with privileges, but fame brings vulnerabilities and in this case, a life-threatening danger. 15 Holly returned to work on Dancing On Ice but it is clear the impact of the case will have deeply affected her Credit: WIREIMAGE 15 At the time of 'Queuegate,' Holly was blamed far more for the scandal Credit: Channel 5 Advertisement 15 Her fallout with Phillip Schofield may have played a huge part in her decision to ultimately quit the show Credit: Rex 15 A grim-faced Holly breaking the news of her long-time co-host's departure Credit: ITV 15 ITV couldn't recreate the 'magic' that Holly mentioned on screen Credit: ITV 15 The TV star has been seen far more sparingly on-screen since her This Morning departure Credit: Getty You can stream The Plot To Kill Holly Willoughby back on 5.
The Sun
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm in the Holly Willoughby plot to kill doc and there's more you didn't see
I VIVIDLY remember the moment Holly Willoughby sensationally resigned from This Morning with a carefully written statement as details emerged of a mysterious and spine-chilling kidnap plot. Within moments my phone rang as the team from TalkTV hurriedly invited me into the NewsUK studios with Vanessa Feltz, Holly's long-time ITV colleague and co-star. Channel 5 aired a documentary on the plot to kidnap and murder Holly Willoughby Credit: PA The Sun's Joshua Rom is featured in Channel 5's docuseries The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughy Credit: Channel 5 Gavin Plumb's plot was foiled after a series of disastrous events Credit: Channel 5 The Channel 5 documentary suggested his plot was always doomed to fail Credit: PA Having worked with Vanessa for a number of months on her TalkRadio show, the mood would mostly be jovial whenever I walked into the studio. Although she would be the consummate professional with a sharp focus on the programme, in true Feltz form, an energetic chinwag would always occur before we went on air. But this day, it was different. I could tell that even an experienced broadcaster like Vanessa - toughened by decades of navigating the shark infested waters of showbiz - felt completely shaken by the emerging story that Holly had been at the centre of a foiled murder plot. Visibly harrowed, I asked her if Holly was okay and, knowing the sensitivity around the subject, I told her that she didn't have to give me an answer. With a solemn expression, she simply shook her head. There was a distinctly human element to the story that did not sink in until that moment. And that's all that was needed. As a showbiz reporter working on the circuit for the last decade, I had extensively covered multiple scandals and spoken to a number of insiders who worked on This Morning before Gavin Plumb's hideous scheme was finally exposed. That's why I appeared in the Channel 5 documentary telling the story of the chilling plot to kidnap and murder Holly. The 90-minute docuseries titled The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughy took a look into the mind of a dangerous fantasist explaining how Plumb's subversive activity came to light following months of scandals surrounding the show. This included the revelations about Phillip Schofield's affair with a younger colleague and intense public outrage over Holly and Phil's decision to seemingly skip The Queue at the Queen's lying-in-state. Holly Willoughby finally smiling again after 'living in absolute fear' following kidnap plot But it only touched upon the fact that Plumb's arrest marked the eruption of a volcano of drama and chaos that started long before - and one that I was witness to. I worked with Eamonn Holmes at a TV station in Paddington in 2022. Here, he briefly mentioned to me about some of the more troublesome things happening at ITV. But I also saw a lot of it with my own eyes. I have covered the scandals surrounding This Morning at length Credit: Channel 5 Gavin Plumb's sick and twisted videos were chilling to watch Credit: PA His kidnap kit contained disgusting materials after years of obsessive sexual delusions Credit: PA Plumb was housebound and could only walk short distances Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk He was given three life sentences after police discovered his twisted sexual fantasy Credit: PA Around 2018, when I was working as TalkRadio's Entertainment Correspondent, I came across a number of production crew from This Morning who tried their best to paint a picture-perfect atmosphere of the life on the show. One of them was a young male runner who wasn't backward in showing off his closeness to the nation's favourite presenting duo. Visit our Holly Willoughby page for the latest updates This young man would turn out to be at the centre of the huge scandal which caused the downfall of Phillip Schofield's career. When he spoke, he was keen to emphasise just how delightful Holly Willoughby was to work with, painting her as an insanely confident host who radiated constant sunshine and who helped him with his presenting showreel. He emphasised that this was someone who just loved what she did. Many people in the industry had plenty to say about Phillip and Holly and the alleged toxicity behind the scenes of This Morning. But for many years, what was so apparent to all of us was just how much Holly and Phil loved working with each other, how much they enjoyed the show, and how passionate they both were about making their edition of This Morning the best in the show's long history. We all remember them turning up to work completely drunk or hangover after the National Television Awards. Other presenters would never get away with it, yet they did, partly because of their inseparable bond. But the blue skies of the iconic This Morning River Thames background could not quite hide the dark clouds that began to envelop as the hurricane slowly started to build. I was previously told Phillip took issue with the way he was presented over a cover of The Sunday Times Magazine. On the page, he looked slightly disconcerted as Holly beamed with a crown that was drawn on her head. The headline read 'Queen Holly. How Holly Willoughby eclipsed Phillip Schofield and became Britain's hottest TV star'. Then came the reported behind-the-scenes rows over International Women's Day. Holly wanted to front the show with an all-female presenting team. But Phillip went over her head to bosses in protestation leaving her 'incandescent with rage'. Then there was the fallout from 'Queuegate' where Holly, Phil and their boss Martin Frizell were escorted to the media platform in Westminster Hall. It can be said that the public never quite looked at them in the same way and Holly took on the brunt of the scandal. Then came the high-profile fallout over lingering questions around Phillip's paedophile brother and the revelations surrounding his affair with the younger male colleague. By this point of Holly's own 'Annus Horribilis', people were openly questioning if the show – and Holly by extension – could even survive the summer. Visit our This Morning page for the latest updates After making that infamous 'Are you okay? I hope so' statement, Holly opted to escape the drama and speculation with a holiday to Portugal to get a rest before a big September relaunch. A somewhat ironic choice given this was the country where she and Phil used to spend years of summers together. ITV's strategy around This Morning was similar to the way it built GMB around Susanna Reid after Piers Morgan's departure. Despite a huge musical number in the Wood Crescent courtyard, producers struggled to recreate that 'magic' that Holly mentioned in her dramatic on-air statement. Although ITV wanted to prove the show was bigger than just one star, the ghost of the scandals and Phillip's career loomed large over the set. Producers struggled to recreate that 'magic' that Holly mentioned Of course, this was shown at the 2023 National Television Awards. Holly usually avoided chats on the red carpet before the ceremony in previous years, but here she was with a somewhat defiant front as she confronted the issues head on. She came straight over to me as I gathered material for my TalkRadio segment with Petrie Hosken – another former This Morning contributor and I asked her about the future. She told me: "I think at the moment, what the future holds I don't think any of us yet know … But I think it's like taking it one day as it comes." I was later told by a number of sources that she was actually advised not to talk to any reporters that night, yet here she seemingly wanted to prove her show would continue, emitting the same optimism that the runner suggested all those years ago. Despite losing the daytime award to The Repair Shop, it was all systems go until the day she disappeared from screens under a shroud of mystery. There was once a time where barely a day went by where Holly didn't appear somewhere on the telly. Plumb's plot may well have been that life-changing moment that made Holly reevaluate what truly matters. She's been seen only sparingly on our screens and this may well continue following the Dancing On Ice axe and her exit from You Bet! - and I expect this to continue. As the Channel 5 documentary showed in gruesome detail, Gavin Plumb's plot was absolutely frightening in both scope and intent. His videos showing off the murder kit made up of rope, handcuffs, shackles, a ball gag, and bottles of chloroform were just sickening to watch. What the future holds I don't think any of us yet know … But I think it's like taking it one day as it comes." Holly Willoughby The fact he built up a sexual obsession over multiple years, using degrading deep fake material was the very definition of vile. But being mostly housebound and unable to walk long distances, experts on the programme suggested that he thankfully would never have been able to carry out his deluded, twisted and evil plot. When we filmed the documentary, the director emphasised to me how sensitive we had to be in our approach. It's clear the effect the plot would have had on Holly could not be overstated. This documentary showed that being a celebrity may come with privileges, but fame brings vulnerabilities and in this case, a life-threatening danger. Holly returned to work on Dancing On Ice but it is clear the impact of the case will have deeply affected her Credit: WIREIMAGE At the time of 'Queuegate,' Holly was blamed far more for the scandal Credit: Channel 5 Her fallout with Phillip Schofield may have played a huge part in her decision to ultimately quit the show Credit: Rex A grim-faced Holly breaking the news of her long-time co-host's departure Credit: ITV ITV couldn't recreate the 'magic' that Holly mentioned on screen Credit: ITV The TV star has been seen far more sparingly on-screen since her This Morning departure Credit: Getty You can stream The Plot To Kill Holly Willoughby back on 5.
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Channel 5 airs Gavin Plumb's chilling phone footage showing off tools to kidnap Holly Willoughby
Channel 5's documentary The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughby looks at security guard Gavin Plumb's horrific plans to abduct the ITV presenter - and airs some of his chilling footage Channel 5 has aired terrifying footage of Gavin Plumb showing off his kidnapping materials in its documentary The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughby. Last year, security guard Plumb, 37, was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years for conspiring to abduct, rape and murder ITV presenter Holly Willoughby after being caught by an undercover police officer in a chatroom. Tonight's documentary looks at Plumb's obsession with the former This Morning presenter and how he was eventually brought to justice. In one shocking scene, the film shows Plumb's own phone footage, in which he displays the materials he had gathered to abduct Holly. The footage was sent to David Nelson - an undercover officer monitoring the chatroom 'Abduct Lovers' who Plumb thought would assist him in his plot. In the clip, the camera shows an array of home invasion apparatus laid out on a bed. "Hand and ankle shackles, real ball gag, three lots of rope, metal cable ties, two sets of handcuffs," Plumb is heard saying in the clip. Alongside the footage, Plumb also details his plans to David, writing in WhatsApp messages: "I have a s**t load of information on her, I know when she does and don't have security..." he wrote. "And that she doesn't have CCTV at home, what time she gets up in the morning..." David, who is based in the US and uses a fake name on the platform, alerted Essex police to the threat and Plumb was quickly arrested. Plumb was found guilty for soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, with Mr Justice Edward Murray saying in his judgement: "There is no doubt that if you had genuinely found one or more accomplices who were seriously interested in and had been willing to join you in carrying your plan through then you would have put this plan into action." The Channel 5 documentary features interviews with journalists, detectives and psychologists as they explore the horrific case - however, Holly declined to contribute or appear in the production. A source close to Holly told The Mirror last week that the TV presenter wants to move on from the ordeal. "She's a very strong woman. As far as she's concerned, it happened, it's in the past, and she wants to get on with her life and move on," they said. "In an ideal world it would be something that's never spoken about again, but Holly knows that's not going to happen, so she'll just ride it out. She's haunted by the past but she won't be retraumatised by it. She feels the same about the whole Phillip Schofield thing at This Morning – it happened, it's over, move on."
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Holly Willoughby's kidnap and murder plot ordeal explained ahead of Channel 5 documentary
Channel 5's new documentary The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughby looks into the horrific plot to kidnap, rape and murder the ITV presenter by security guard Gavin Plumb Holly Willoughby's horrific murder plot ordeal is being explored in Channel 5's new documentary, The Plot to Kill Holly Willoughby, with the one-off film looking at how security guard Gavin Plumb was convicted of planning to rape and kill the TV presenter. Gavin Plumb, a shopping centre security officer, was found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder the former This Morning host last July. He was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years in prison as a result. The mum-of-three was preparing to present This Morning at ITV studios on 5th October 2023, a day that started as any other Thursday, when she was informed of the chilling plot and taken off-air. Alison Hammond stepped up at the last minute to fill in for Holly, presenting the show with Josie Gibson as police relayed the horrifying details of the plot to her co-star. Essex Police released a statement at the time, stating: "A 36-year-old man from Harlow has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap as part of an ongoing investigation. The arrest was made on Wednesday 4th October. He is currently in custody." In the aftermath, Holly was under constant police protection, with officers seen outside her London home, which she shares with husband Dan Baldwin and their three children. The TV star didn't publicly comment on the alleged plot or the suspect's arrest and stayed off our screens for over a week, before then confirming her permanent departure from This Morning. On 10th October, the beloved presenter Holly Willoughby took to Instagram to share her heartfelt departure from This Morning after a remarkable 14-year stint. She expressed to her fans: "I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning. It's been an honour to just be part of its story and I know this story has so many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I feel I have to make this decision for me and my family." She continued with a touching message: "This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I will forever be proud of what we have done together. Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you. Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You have been so supportive and the very best company every day." In a stark contrast to the warmth of her farewell, the following month saw a chilling development in court. On 3rd November, Gavin Plumb appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court for a pre-trial and plea hearing concerning alarming charges against him. Accused of plotting a grave crime, he faced allegations of conspiring to murder Willoughby and was charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to kidnap. Plumb, hailing from Potters Field, Harlow, firmly denied the accusations, pleading not guilty. However, in July last year, the court heard how Plumb had planned a "home invasion" at the TV presenter's property, plotting to tie her up and rape her before murdering her. The 36-year-old had amassed over 10,000 images of the This Morning star on his phone, including deepfake pornography. His plan was foiled by undercover American police officer David Nelson who infiltrated his online group Abduct Lovers. The pair then began exchanging messages offline, with Plumb detailing his plan. Plumb and Nelson exchanged 300 messages privately with the officer having monitored a public group called Abduct Lovers on the Kik app where the defendant had tried to recruit others to help attack Holly Willoughby. The detective told Chelmsford Crown Court that he was sure Plumb 'fully intended to carry out his plans'. Essex Police officers who raided Plumb's flat in Harlow found bottles of chloroform and an "abduction kit" complete with cable ties. After being found guilty, Plumb was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 15 years and 85 days. Nicola Rice, a specialist prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'The sentence handed down to Gavin Plumb ensures he will remain in prison, where he can no longer threaten or harm women. 'There is no doubt Gavin Plumb posed a real danger and the CPS proved that his plans to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby were more than mere fantasy and he had every intention of encouraging others to help him. 'I hope today's sentence brings some comfort to the victim, as well as the victims of his previous offences and sends a clear message that the CPS will always bring the strongest possible case against those who plan violence against women.'
