Eleven months ago, Holly Willoughby expressed her excitement for the return of Dancing On Ice, eagerly anticipating the show's kickoff with co-star Phillip Schofield.
The ITV skating show had been a source of joy for Holly, offering a break from serious work and an opportunity to wear glamorous dresses while entertaining the audience.
'As soon as Christmas went, Holly would get giddy about Dancing On Ice,' says a friend of the star.
'It was wonderful light relief for her, there was no grilling of MPs or doing reviews of the news, just the chance to have a laugh with Phil and wear the most stunning dresses while entertaining the British public. She loved it.'
However, the landscape has drastically changed in the past 11 months. Phillip Schofield left ITV amid controversy surrounding his admission of an affair with a younger colleague and subsequent dishonesty.
In October, Holly stepped down from her role as co-host of This Morning due to security concerns related to an alleged kidnapping and murder plot by former security guard Gavin Plumb.
With Dancing On Ice's imminent return in a few weeks, Holly is reportedly undecided about whether she will return to the show. This uncertainty has left ITV anxious about finding a replacement if Holly decides not to resume her role alongside replacement male host Stephen Mulhern.
It has, friends tell me, become the biggest quandary of her career — and has left ITV on tenterhooks over who will take Holly's place if the star decides she cannot resume her role alongside replacement male host Stephen Mulhern.