Working on Celebrity Bear Hunt with Bear Grylls gave her “some transferable skills” for dealing with fear and “being brave,” Holly Willoughby claimed.
Holly Willoughby has opened up on how working on one particular project taught her “transferable skills” about fear. Earlier this year, the former This Morning presenter suggested that appearing alongside longtime friend Bear Grylls on Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt had been helpful while she navigated life after police foiled a kidnap plot against her.
In October 2023, 44-year-old Holly departed This Morning following 14 years on our screens. Announcing her exit, the TV personality said it had “been an honour” to be a part of the iconic ITV daytime show, though she’d made the decision to leave “for me and my family”.
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Last year Gavin Plumb was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years after being found guilty of plotting to to abduct, rape and murder the TV presenter following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.
After a short break from TV, Holly returned to our screens where she hosted the Netflix show Celebrity Bear Hunt earlier this year. Filmed in Costa Rica, the show saw 12 celebrities become prey for Bear Grylls as they put their survival and endurance skills to the test.
Speaking about her time working on the show, Holly previously told The Mirror how she’d returned feeling stronger than before and had learned new life skills from the survival expert. “There were a few moments on this show where I had to dig deep and have a strong word with myself,” she said.
Being brave means using that fear, harnessing it, and doing it anyway, Bear Grylls once said, “At those times, it was nice to have someone like Bear Grylls next to you.” Being in nature allows you to put your thoughts down for a while and be present, which is undoubtedly a transferable skill that he has given me.
In July 2024, ex security guard Gavin Plumb was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder Holly. The court heard how the sinister plan had had a ‘life-changing’ impact on the Dancing On Ice presenter, who courageously waived her right to anonymity. The terrifying events will be explored in a new Channel 5 documentary, The Plot To Kill Holly Willoughby, which airs on May 1.
Nicola Rice, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Gavin Plumb 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 the sentence of today sends a comfort to the victim, as well as to the victims of his previous crimes,” said the judge, “and sends a clear message that the CPS will always pursue charges of violence against women.”
In a statement Holly said: “As women, we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our own homes. I will forever be grateful to the undercover police officer who understood the imminent threat and to the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their swift response.
Thank you to the Crown Prosecution Service, the Honorable Mr. Justice Murray, Alison Morgan KC, the jury, and everyone involved in this case for making sure justice was served and that the defendant won’t be able to harm any more women. I’d like to applaud the bravery of his former victims who spoke up at the time. This conviction might not have been possible without their bravery.
In January 2025, the former This Morning star reflected on her “tough” year and explained that “nothing can prepare you for something like that”. During an interview with The Sunday Times’ Style magazine, Holly in what was her first interview for over a year, said the subject was “really so hard” to discuss.
You have to make a decision when something like that occurs. You can either decide to accept that this has an impact on every aspect of my life, or you can. Or I can make the decision to go and concentrate on everything positive and positive, including all those crucial things, she said.
She also outlined how letting the circumstance take over her life was an option. Although I wouldn’t wish what ever happened to anyone, I believe that sometimes things go wrong because that is all you can do, she continued.
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Source: Mirror
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