'IT'S TIME TO THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND"

Holly Willoughby opens up about recovering from trauma, pushing herself out of her comfort zone and why Celebrity Bear Hunt has given her a new lease of life

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As the queen of daytime TV, Holly Willoughby seemed never to be off our screens. But one of the most recognisable faces in showbusiness then went through a life-changing experience, forcing her to step away from the limelight and reflect on what was important to her.

Now, more than a year after quitting This Morning, Holly is back and ready to start a brand-new chapter with Netflix show Celebrity Bear Hunt, in which she is catapulted into the Costa Rican jungle alongside survival expert Bear Grylls and celebrities including Melanie Brown and Boris Becker.

And she reveals to HELLO! how the opportunity presented itself at the perfect moment for her. "It really helped me, the whole thing," she tells us.

"I really loved it. It came along at the right time. I think it's good to change things up sometimes and it's good to challenge yourself.

"In the same way that the celebrities will go into this to challenge themselves and see what they're made of, I thought: 'Right, why not?" Holly says she jumped at the chance to front the project when her co-star offered it to her. "When Bear called and asked what I thought, I said: 'Yes, count me in.' It's an adventure, and who better to go on an adventure with than Bear?"

TOUGHING IT OUT

For his part, Bear says that Holly is stronger than she gives herself credit for. "I really don't think I did help her. I've learnt that you're tougher than you maybe realise," he tells her.

"She's got a great survivor heart." The Holly we first see on screen, dangling out of a helicopter, is a far cry from the elegant presenter seen most recently on ITV's Dancing on Ice. And when we suggest that happiness can often be found outside one's comfort zone, she agrees that it's important to face fears head-on.