Holly Willoughby has launched a twice-weekly lifestyle show on YouTube called Holly Willoughby Together (With Voy) in an effort to reboot her career after leaving traditional television.
The show aims to engage audiences with chat, cooking, fashion, health, and casual conversation formats.
It features guests including Stanley Tucci and is produced by Willoughby's husband Dan Baldwin's company, Hungry Bear Media, with sponsorship from health provider Voy.
Episodes run approximately 45 minutes and combine cooking demonstrations with informal chats.
Willoughby's pivot to YouTube reflects broader media shifts, as platforms like YouTube now rival traditional broadcasters in popularity among younger viewers.
According to Ofcom data, YouTube overtook ITV last year in UK viewership after the BBC.
The platform boasts over 55 million active users in the UK, with a demographic spread across genders and ages 25 to 54.
Holly Willoughby stated, "This feels like a natural step.
I see how my children watch content, and it is mostly YouTube, and I consume a lot via podcasts, so working across different platforms is exciting," as reported by independent.
co. uk.
Industry experts note that this move allows Willoughby to own her content and control her brand without relying on traditional TV gatekeepers.
Ed Waller, editor-in-chief of C21, said, "Holly doesn’t have to be dependent on some snotty-nosed commissioner from ITV giving her a green light...
she takes everything, not just the paycheque."
This approach follows trends set by other media figures seeking direct creator control. Despite the strategic benefits, critics have noted challenges with the show's format.
The Guardian remarked that the show feels like "an aggressive audition for whether Willoughby is allowed to be famous again," with moments that appear staged to show her "real self."
The first episode's focus on Stanley Tucci’s cooking overshadowed Willoughby, raising questions about the show's balance.
Similarly, inews. co.
uk highlighted that Willoughby's appeal on This Morning was her likeability and natural ease, qualities that seem harder to convey in the new YouTube format.
The site described the show as trying too hard to manufacture relatability with scripted banter and staged segments.
Nevertheless, the series is seen as a crucial venture for Willoughby to prove her ability to succeed independently in a changing media landscape.
The show's continued development will test whether she can sustain authentic engagement with the audience on digital platforms.
