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SHE was ITV’s golden girl for two decades – but Holly Willoughby’s telly career could be over for good after a series of catastrophic setbacks.

In the latest harmful blow to her once-perfect image, a court heard Holly broke a scooter rider’s neck after crashing into him in her Mini Cooper.

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It came after she left scandal-hit This Morning in 2023 amid a sicko’s plot to kidnap and murder her.

Since her departure from the hit daytime show, Holly’s crown has slipped, as she has tried — and failed — to make the leap from Britain’s sweetheart to global star.

Despite the backing of her TV producer husband Dan Baldwin, it is being questioned if the fall from favour is down to career-damaging choices or an unlucky streak, which likely stopped her getting the top job on Strictly to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

Insiders claim the 44-year-old’s brush with the law, losing her roles on Dancing On Ice and Celebrity Bear Hunt, plus being overlooked for The Box and Blind Date’s reboot, have left her career on a knife-edge.

An industry insider told us: “A few years back, Holly would have been the No1 choice to take over Strictly, but she’s no longer at the top of the tree. Right now, she’s not a ratings winner.

“Holly tried her hand at streaming services because the role offered flexibility and higher pay than her daytime TV work, allowing her to balance career and family life.

“But she’s now at a crossroads and needs to make strategic choices that will likely define the next chapter of her career and win back love from the viewing public.”

Squeaky-clean image

The once-indestructible presenter has been quietly rebranding behind the scenes after a lengthy spell as TV’s bubbly girl-next-door who would have a fit of on-screen giggles at sexual innuendos.

Nicknamed Holly Willoughbooby by her former Celebrity Juice co-star Keith Lemon, she managed to perfectly balance her innocent image with a hint of naughtiness.

The beginning of Holly’s downfall could be traced back to when she skipped the queue for the late Queen’s lying-in-state — while David Beckham waited in line for more than 12 hours.

She and her now-disgraced co-host Phillip Schofield denied claims they were “too posh to queue” in Westminster Hall, telling This Morning viewers: “It was strictly for the purpose of reporting.”

An online petition saw tens of thousands of people demand their resignations in September 2022, and many believe the backlash eventually led to Phillip’s departure from the show after 20 years when their relationship became strained.

Married Phil, who came out as gay in 2020, also admitted having an affair with a younger male ITV employee and lying to cover it up.

Holly, who was referred to as The Witch by Phillip, cut ties with him over the scandal, but came under scrutiny for their previously close friendship.

“Suddenly, Holly’s squeaky-clean image that she’d had throughout her career was under threat,” said our source.

“It was a big life lesson and taught her a lot.”

In another horrendous ordeal, Holly said a “difficult” goodbye to This Morning in October 2023 after she was targeted by obsessed security guard Gavin Plumb, who is serving at least 16 years in jail for planning to kidnap, rape and ­murder her.

The stalker’s twisted plan “traumatised” Holly and has a “life-changing impact” on her to this day as she continues to navigate her safety and security.

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“It’s been a stressful few years for Holly and, understandably, she stepped back from daily television to focus on her family and wellbeing, but leaving This Morning did mark the end of a defining chapter in her TV career,” said our expert.

In the months afterwards, Holly appeared to go into hiding — removing herself from showbiz circles, staying off social media and focusing on her family.

Away from the glare of fame, she seems to have become something of a homebody with her husband and three children.

From time to time, Holly posts about a glitzy outing with her small circle of celebrity pals, including TV’s Kate Thornton and Christine Lampard, plus Spice Girl Emma Bunton, but her day-to-day routine remains low-key.

Holly is frequently spotted by residents and fellow school-run mums in her leafy suburban South West London neighbourhood, where she has been renting a large home while renovation work on her new property is carried out.

She takes regular strolls in the area with her pet dog, Bailey.

And she is often spotted strolling the aisles of Waitrose or on the school run.

One local said: “We see Holly around the neighbourhood all the time — so much so that it isn’t really like a celebrity sighting. She is just like any other mum round here going about her business.”

Behind the scenes, Holly had high hopes of coming back with a bang, convinced she would be fighting off major network offers.

Dazzled by a mega-money deal with Netflix, she jumped ship to host a survival skills show with Bear Grylls — but it flopped, with Holly on screen for just 24 minutes during the seven-hour series.

It is thought to be another stroke of bad luck that the show was axed due to production costs and low ratings.

‘Drastic action’

Her reign as TV’s most popular host further nose-dived when Dancing On Ice was shelved and she pulled out of the revamped You Bet!, leaving her with no work on ITV for the first time since 2004.

Despite using her downtime to reinvent herself, disaster struck once again when Holly knocked the rider off his scooter in August.

She did not attend the Lavender Hill magistrates’ court hearing, but pleaded guilty by post to driving without due care and attention in Barnes, South West London.

Holly, on court listings under her married name, Baldwin, got six points on her licence and was fined £2,444, including court costs.

Her lawyer, Aisling Byrnes, said: “She is extremely remorseful.”

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The case is believed to have been a factor in her delayed rebrand, with PR and entertainment expert Lynn Carratt telling The Sun: “While the traffic incident was regrettable, it was a momentary lapse in judgment and not dangerous driving.

“Unfortunately, it came at a time when Holly was seeking to reposition her public image and career.

“But we saw Ant McPartlin overcome far worse in 2018 [when he admitted drink driving]. Holly stepped into present I’m A Celebrity and won rave reviews.”

While she struggles to find her place, rival presenters including Claudia Winkleman, Cat Deeley and Alison Hammond are on the up.

Industry experts claim Holly is battling the age-old discrimination faced by women on TV, which hosts such as Claudia, Alison and Cat have managed to swerve.

“It’s undeniable that Holly has had a string of bad luck, but her biggest problem is she’s too guarded,” said our insider.

“People want to watch stars like Claudia or lovable Rylan Clark because they are warm and inviting. They make you feel like you know them, that you could be their friend.

“The sky’s the limit for Claudia after leaving Strictly because of her massive success hosting The Traitors. That’s the kind of hit Holly desperately needs, but she has a perception problem. It’s not a question of her talent.”

It is believed Holly is being urged to focus on a personal project so she can reintroduce herself to audiences.

After all she has been through, fans would love for her to lower her defences and talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of her career for a new documentary.

“Her image can be fixed if she’s self-aware enough to realise the issue,” said our expert.

“It may be daunting to put herself out there again after her stalking ordeal, but that’s the only way to win back her fans. If Holly puts some work into making herself more accessible and has a stroke of luck with landing a great show that comes along at the right time, then suddenly she’s back on top.

“Holly has weathered a combination of bad luck, public scrutiny and career upheaval, but the time has come to take drastic action or risk being forgotten.”