MAN CHARGED WITH 'HITMAN PLOT' TO KILL HOLLY WILLOUGHBY

A SECURITY guard has appeared in court accused of trying to hire a US hitman to kidnap and kill TV presenter Holly Willoughby.

- Paul Jeeves

Gavin Plumb, 36, below, has been charged with masterminding the alleged transatlantic plot. Officers arrested the "loner" who once weighed 35 stone on Wednesday evening after uncovering "sinister messages" in a dark web chat room pertaining to This Morning presenter Holly.

The married mother of three, 42, remained under high-level security protection at her luxury London home last night.

Bosses at the ITV show were alerted to the alleged "highly credible" plot minutes before the show was due to go on air on Thursday morning, leading to the presenter being pulled off screen. She was replaced on the show by Alison. Hammond with Josie Gibson.

Hours earlier, Holly had celebrated her TV producer husband Daniel Baldwin's birthday with their children, Harry, 14, Belle, 12, and eight-year-old Chester.

But friends said she has been left "shocked and distraught" by the case.

The broadcaster is now providing round-the-clock private security and counselling support for Holly and her family, alongside specialist police teams.

Yesterday, several celebrities privately messaged the star to express their love and support after her terrifying ordeal.

Messages are understood to have come from big names including Ant and Dec, Bradley Walsh, Fearne Cotton, Emma Bunton and Nicole Appleton.