Holly Willoughby's BBC deal 'on hold' after leaving This Morning

ok.co.uk:

Holly Willoughby has reportedly "lost a huge BBC deal" after leaving This Morning, following 14 years of presenting the show.

BBC bosses were said to have been keen on signing Holly, 42, for a "golden handcuffs" deal, but her exit from This Morning amid a turbulent year for the star, is said to have put plans on hold.

A source told The Sun: "Holly isn't going to be signed up on an exclusive deal for the BBC—or to be the face of any of their new shows—at this moment in time. “Their golden handcuffs deals are few and far between and Holly was being lined up to become a major player for them." The source continued: "But after seeing everything that has unfolded over the past five months, the BBC wants to give her some breathing space before making any offers." BBC Content chief Charlotte Moore had allegedly been working to build a bond between the BBC and Holly Willoughby, with plans to make her a "significant player" on the network, despite her long-running ties with ITV, on some of their top shows such as This Morning and Dancing on Ice.The BBC are thought to be holding back on any decisions regarding Holly whilst ITV await the results of an independent investigation into This Morning.The network is keen on giving Holly some "breathing space" as she takes some time away from television to focus on her family, but talks between the BBC and Holly could happen in the future.

OK! has contacted Holly's reps and BBC for comment. It comes after reports that ITV has been inundated with job applications to replace Holly after she stepped down from her role as This Morning's main presenter.