Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Kidnap TV Presenter Holly Willoughby
A 36-year-old man named Gavin Plumb has been charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap in connection with an alleged plot to harm TV personality Holly Willoughby. Essex Police arrested Plumb on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation, which led to his subsequent charges. Although Essex Police has not confirmed whether Holly Willoughby was the intended target, The Sun reported that "sinister messages" threatening to kidnap and "seriously harm" the TV presenter had been discovered, leading to Plumb's arrest. Digital devices and a mobile phone were also seized at the time of the arrest.
Holly Willoughby, renowned for her role as a presenter on ITV's This Morning, did not appear on Thursday's show. She has reportedly been placed under police protection at her London home. Willoughby's absence from the show comes after a tumultuous period for the presenter, including the resignation of her co-presenter Phillip Schofield in May, who later admitted to an affair with a younger colleague. Despite these challenges, Willoughby had expressed her commitment to continue as a presenter but had taken a break from the program during the summer.
The shocking news prompted an outpouring of support from colleagues and public figures. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his best wishes to Willoughby, stating, "I was so sorry to hear about everything going on with Holly and I wanted to send my best to her and her family and to all of you."
ITV, deeply shocked by the developments, is providing round-the-clock security and support for Willoughby and her family alongside the police. A spokesperson for the network said, "We are providing all of the support we can to Holly and her family at this incredibly distressing time."
