Holly Willoughby, the former host of This Morning, is set to go head-to-head with current host Cat Deeley in the race for Best TV Presenter at this year's National Television Awards.
The nominations were revealed on Tuesday morning and both daytime chat show queens quickly eyed up their competition for the public vote that will eventually decide the winner of the prestigious accolade in September.
This unexpected nomination clash comes after Holly was seen saying goodbye to her role on ITV's cherished morning programme. It was only eight months ago in October 2023 when she bid farewell after sharing the screen with Phillip Schofield for over a decade.
Sharing the news on Instagram, Holly addressed her fans: "I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning."
In a heartfelt message to her co-workers, she added: "To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we've done together.", reports the Express.
She continued her words of gratitude: "Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you. Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers."
She concluded with a nod to former hosts, stating: "You've been loyal, so supportive and the very best company every day. Richard and Judy said, 'We only look after this show, it will always belong to the viewers.'".
Concluding her announcement, she wrote: "It's been an honour to just be part of it's story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family. I will miss you all so much. Holly."
Following Holly's departure, there was much speculation about who would fill her shoes on This Morning. After several months of guessing games, Cat Deeley was finally revealed as the new host alongside Ben Shephard in February 2024.
Since then, she has quickly become a fan favourite, winning over viewers' hearts, according to the Mirror. The nominees for the category will be unveiled in August, with the winner being announced at a glitzy event at London's O2 on September 11, 2024.
Holly has already bagged five NTA awards for her stellar presenting skills. However, despite being nominated five times for a similar award at the Primetime Emmys in the US, Cat is yet to clinch an NTA award.
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