Holly’s pain at missing her children’s first day at school to host show
TV’S Holly Willoughby admits she feels guilt at being a working mother after missing her children’s first days at school while hosting This Morning. The 39-year-old star has found juggling her career and motherhood a challenge and credits the support of husband Dan Baldwin for sharing responsibilities. The couple have three children – Harry, 11, Belle, eight, and five-year-old Chester. Holly says: “Becoming a mum was the only thing I knew I definitely wanted when I was growing up. But the image I had never involved me being a working mum and that’s been the biggest challenge.
“I’ve been riddled with guilt about getting that part wrong. “You love them so much and you don’t want to mess them up.”
ITV daytime host Holly missed her two eldest children’s first days at school due to her work schedule.
She told Red magazine: “The truth is, I didn’t do the drop-off on Harry’s or Belle’s first day of school because I was working.
“I hate that I wasn’t there because those are memories you can’t get back.
“But I’ve realised the only way that I can combat those feelings is to accept that sometimes I don’t get it right – and that’s fine. And I’m lucky that I can be there every day to pick them up and at weekends.”
In September, Holly thanked her bosses for “moving heaven and Earth” to allow her to take Chester to his first day of school. She added that she was “full of a whole host of emotions watching him walk through the classroom door”.
Last month, she quit as a panellist on bawdy ITV2 series Celebrity Juice after 12 years, reportedly to spend more time with her family.
She and husband Dan, who runs TV production company Hungry Bear Media, split the workload evenly.
She added: “The kids have absolutely no idea there needs to be a feminist movement or that sexism is even a thing because they don’t see it.”
● The full interview is in the July issue of Red magazine