Holly Willoughby is going to make her long-awaited return to our screens with co-host Stephen Mulhern on Dancing On Ice.
The duo go back many years and are ‘almost unrecognisable’ in a snap from the early days of their careers when they hosted Ministry Of Mayhem 18 years ago.
The former This Morning presenter, 42, and the Deal Or No Deal star, 46, hosted the children’s TV show on CITV from January 2004 until July 2006.
Both began their on-screen careers with children’s television, and they looked fresh faced in a throwback shared by ITV in 2018.
In the picture, the presenting duo looked incredibly youthful as they posed cheerfully backstage for the cameras at an A-list affair.
Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern looked almost unrecognisable in a Ministry of Mayhem throwback snap taken 18 years ago shared on Twitter by ITV
The duo will be reuniting in the New Year as co-hosts of ITV’s Dancing On Ice – marking Holly’s long-awaited return to our screens
The former This Morning presenter, 41, and the Catchphrase star, 46, (pictured in 2014) joined forces to host children’s TV from January 2004 until July 2006
The official ITV account posted to then-Twitter: ‘Fresh faced and almost unrecognisable – what a pair of mischief makers @stephenmulhern @hollywills in their Ministry of Mayhem days! #TBT #ThrowbackThursday.’
Taken in 2005, Holly would have been 24 when the snap was taken with her presenting pal while Stephen would have been 28 years old.
The duo were attending the ‘SPRUNG! THE MAGIC ROUNDABOUT’ film premiere when the snap was taken all those years ago.
Ministry Of Mayhem was given a face lift and renamed Holly and Stephen’s Saturday Showdown later on.
Holly and Stephen have stayed firm friends over the years after their two-year presenting stint together on the children’s television show.
As their friendship has flourished over time, their presenting careers have blossomed too.
But Holly took a step back in 2023. She was caught up in the saga which revealed that her former Dancing On Ice and This Morning co-presenter Phillip Schofield had lied about a romantic relationship he had with a former younger colleague.
Schofield was fired by ITV while Holly was also troubled by an alleged plot to kidnap her – following which she pulled out of This Morning.
But the presenting star is said to be ‘excited’ about her return after almost three months away since a former security guard was arrested.
An ITV insider told MailOnline: ‘Holly is a star and everyone was so very much hoping that she would decide to come back.
‘After many discussions and a lot of thought, she thought that getting some normality into her life would be a good thing.
‘There are obvious worries about going on live television, her main priority is her family, ITV have been hugely understanding and have not put any pressure on her at all.
‘They wanted to give her all of the time she needed but it has been a rough decision for her.
‘Time was ticking but the bosses were trying to remain calm.’
The mother of three has always looked forward to January as her chance to get dolled up in fairytale dresses to host the show alongside her former friend Schofield, whom she adored so much.
‘As soon as Christmas went, Holly would get giddy about Dancing On Ice,’ a friend of the star described.
While she is something of an old hand on the series, her new co-host has far less experience.
Stephen joined Holly for one episode of Dancing On Ice in 2022 as he covered for a Covid-stricken Schofield.
Holly co-hosted the show with the 61-year-old from its inception in 2006 until 2011.
Christine Lampard then replaced Holly for the next three series until the show ended in 2014, but she returned for its 2018 revival and has remained in post ever since.
Mulhern soon emerged as the favourite to take over as her co-host following Schofield’s sacking, saying that it would be ‘amazing’ to do so.
Taken in 2005, Holly would have been 24 at the time of the snap with her presenting pal while Stephen would have been 28
Holly had taken a step back from ITV after her longtime presenter partner Phillip Schofield was fired having admitted to lying about a romantic relationship he had with a former younger colleague
Holly and Stephen have stayed firm friends over the years after their two-year presenting stint together on the children’s television show (seen in 2010)
In 2014, Stephen lifted the lid on his close decade-long friendship with his new co-presenter in an interview with The Sun.
The Catchphrase star revealed he goes to Holly for advice if he’s got a problem and he praised her as a ‘proper mate’.
He told the publication: ‘Ant and Dec, Emma Willis and Holly Willoughby are proper mates. But that’s about it.
‘If I had a problem I’d go to Holly, and if I want advice that makes no sense and probably makes things worse, I’ll ask Ant and Dec.’
