'Emma's a pillar of strength for Holly'

After a knock in confidence, presenter Holly Willoughby has turned to close friend Emma Bunton for some support

- Georgia Trevitt

Holly Willoughby and Emma Bunton have been close friends for years standing by each other's side through milestone moments in their lives.

And after a tough few months for Holly, she's been leaning on her pal more than ever.

"Holly has a very small network of friends, but Emma is someone she can truly trust," a source tells us. "Emma knows what it's like with things playing out in the public eye, she went through it all when she was in the Spice Girls, so Emma has been a pillar of strength for Holly."

Holly, 42, made her big TV comeback earlier this month as she returned to ITV to present Dancing On Ice alongside Stephen Mulhern. It came after she stepped away from This Morning back in October after 14 years a decision she made "for me and my family" - when an alleged kidnap plot came to light.

The court case against her alleged kidnapper Gavin Plumb, who is charged with soliciting murder and incitement to kidnap, is still ongoing. He was denied bail at a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court in November ahead of his trial in June.