Holly Willoughby ‘under police watch’ after man ‘plotted to kidnap and seriously harm' her

Holly Willoughby was forced to pull out of presenting This Morning yesterday after police foiled a kidnapping attempt against her.

The mother of three is believed to currently be under police guard at her home in London, which she shares with husband Daniel Baldwin and her children.

She was replaced on yesterday’s show by Alison Hammond, pulling out shortly before the show was set to go to air.

Hammond was joined by Josie Gibson on the couch for ITV’s flagship mid-morning programme.

Essex Police has confirmed that a man has been arrested in connection with the incident, which was also discussed by Willoughby’s ITV colleagues on Good Morning Britain this morning (October 6).

ITV

In a prepared statement, Kate Garraway read: “Holly Willoughby was forced to pull out from presenting This Morning yesterday after an alleged kidnapping plot was foiled by police.

“A 36-year-old man, who was not known to the star, was arrested on Wednesday evening.”

Garraway’s co-host Ben Shephard said that the incident was a ‘sinister story’.

Reporting live from Harlow Police Station, Liz Summers added: “This is a deeply concerning and worrying story to wake up to today.

“We understand that a man not known to Holly Willoughby was arrested at his flat here in Harlow on Wednesday night.

“It was actually The Sun newspaper that originally broke this story, and they say that police allegedly found sinister messages on a number of devices, threatening to kidnap and seriously harm the presenter.”

She continued: “This morning there’s no word yet from either ITV or Holly Willoughby. We understand that the presenter’s home is under police guard this morning at that home that she shares with her husband and three children as these police investigations continue.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “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 4 October. He is currently in custody. Enquiries continue.”

ITV

Willoughby had been set to celebrate her husband’s birthday on the day of the incident, sharing a post on Instagram paying tribute to Baldwin.

Posting a snap of the pair sharing an embrace at a festival, she wrote: “Happy birthday to my love.”

The pair have three children, Harry, Belle, and Chester, and have been married since 2007.

Willoughby and Baldwin met whilst working together on Saturday morning children’s show Ministry of Mayhem.

LADbible has contacted representatives for Holly Willoughby for a comment.