Holly Willoughby has jetted Down Under for I’m A Celebrity and urged pal Anthony McPartlin to “look after himself” so he can return to front the show next year.
For the first time since he began hosting the show in 2002, Declan Donnelly will front the show with Holly instead of best pal Ant.
And whilst Ant recovers from drink and prescription drug addiction issues at home, Holly and Dec will be back on ITV next weekend trying to forge chemistry as part of a new duo.
After flying from London to Sydney, Holly took a domestic flight to the Gold Coast international airport close to the jungle and told the Mirror she was “really excited” about getting started on the ITV series.
Wearing a black tracksuit, Holly also said she had Ant’s blessing to take his place on the series saying they had spoken and he was “absolutely fine” about her filling in with Dec.
In an interview with You Magazine published today Holly went even further, saying: “Yes, we’ve spoken and he’s happy – he was part of the decision that I’d do it.
“He just needs to look after himself – that’s the most important thing. He knows I’ll look after the show and keep it warm for him. I know that next year I won’t be in the jungle.”
Holly, 37, has known Dec for several decades after working at ITV together.
Referring to closeness needed for a show like this, she said: “On I’m A Celebrity it’s important to have chemistry and to have a friendship as a starting point you can grow from. It’s that unspoken thing: you know how the other person speaks, how their sentences are going to end. That helps a lot.”
I’m A Celebrity kicks off on next Sunday, November 18 and contestants are expected to start landing in Brisbane today(SUNDAY).
Names expected to be taking part include football manager Harry Redknapp, Coronation Street actress Sair Khan and BBC presenter Nick Knowles.
Speaking at the Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards Holly spoke of the pressure replacing Ant as host and said: “Ultimately I am a fan of the show, so that feels weird, it is a show I love. So I have got to switch my head from being a viewer to being the host. But first and foremost I love the show and love a format, so I am just going to go and see what happens.”
She is spending the first week on her own in Australia to concentrate on getting the start of the series right but will then be joined by her entire family – including her parents – for the rest of the run. Her three children will have a tutor whilst in Australia as they are being taken out of school for the trip. Dec’s wife Ali and baby daughter Isla are also out in Australia with him.
