Holly Willoughby quits hit ITV show You Bet! as bosses pick up reboot series after Christmas special success

The former This Morning presenter teamed up with her Dancing On Ice presenting partner Stephen Mulhern for the show which saw members of the public attempt to perform their special talents in a bid to take home a huge cash prize.

You Bet!, which last aired in 1997, returned to screen over the Christmas period with Holly and Stephen at the helm for two special episodes, both of which were a smash hit for ITV. The series drew in just over three million viewers, and became the broadcaster’s biggest entertainment launch for the 16 to 34 age bracket since 2022.

The success of the festive special has lead to bosses recommissioning the rebooted series again, but Holly has reportedly declined the invite to take part. Stephen is set to present the show solo.

An ITV spokesperson confirmed Holly’s departure as host, but said that bosses were hoping that the Celebrity Bear Hunt presenter would return in some capacity. They said in a statement: “Unfortunately Holly couldn’t commit to the dates to host, but will hopefully appear as a guest panellist on one of the shows in the new series.”

Members of the public were invited to apply for the upcoming series of You Bet! earlier this year. The casting call stated that casting for the new series was taking place up until June 2025.

You Bet! was originally launched in February 1988, with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth as host. He was replaced by Matthew Kelly between 1991 and 1995, before Darren Day was given the mantle until the original series end in 1997.

The announcement of Holly’s departure comes as the star and her Dancing On Ice co-host await word from ITV bosses about whether the celebrity ice-skating competition will return. The future of the show, which just saw Coronation Street actor Sam Aston crowned as champion, is up in the air, with bosses reportedly considering scrapping the once-popular Torvill and Dean vehicle due to declining viewing figures.