HOLLY Willoughby is said to be in “no rush” to return to TV after her husband signed a £2m “deal of the year”.
For the first time in years the 44-year-old has been left without a TV show.
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The former ITV golden girl is currently ‘showless’ with the broadcasters for the first time in 21 years.
But Holly’s TV producer husband Dan Baldwin, 50, is said to have stepped up as the breadwinner and is raking in so much money that they’ve splashed out on an £8m mansion.
The Mail reports that the Dan has pulled off the “deal of the year” after his production company has entered a partnership with America’s National Football League (NFL), Channel 5 and Paramount to bring live coverage of American football to UK viewers.
They have even secured the rights to broadcast the Super Bowl in this country – with around 200million people tuning in each year.
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The deal is said to be “well over “£2million”, while the new football show will be hosted by Dermot O’Leary, 52, former NFL player Osi Umenyiora, 43, and Sam Quek, 36.
Dan’s big money job has taken the pressure off Holly to find another TV job.
They said: “It’s great she has some time to decompress. Dan is making sure the money is still coming in while Holly can have some time out.”
NEXT MOVE
With her time on ITV’s This Morning now a distant memory, Holly was looking likely to land a series of lucrative deals with the streamers.
But in a further blow – her new Netflix show, Bear Hunt, with Bear Grylls, was axed.
The news came just weeks after Dancing On Ice was axed and on top of that, she has made the decision to step down from You Bet!, leaving Stephen Mulhern to present alone.
She is set to appear briefly in the next series, but will no longer be hosting it.
It marks a huge shift in her work with ITV.
One option for the star could be a reboot of Record Breakers, which Holly’s husband Dan Baldwin is already working on.
There is currently no channel attached to the show, which is in its very early stages but sources say it would be a “perfect fit”.
A telly insider said: “Record Breakers is likely to be a prime time hit and it would make perfect sense for Holly to take the reins.
“She has worked alongside Dan before and the pair know what it takes to make great telly.”
She has also been linked to a reboot of Cilla Black’s best-known show, Blind Date.
The Sun told this week how the ITV classic is being revived – and in a surprise twist will go to global streaming service Disney+.
Producers want to keep the tradition of a top British female host, with a shortlist including Claudia Winkleman, Holly Willoughby and Davina McCall.
Sources say Holly is also being looked at for a new Channel 4 talent show, currently dubbed Secret Singers, which is searching for raw, undiscovered singing talent.
Love Productions – the creators of The Great British Bake Off and The Piano – have already put out a casting call.
An insider said: “This is likely to be a heartwarming and hugely popular show for all the family.
“They are looking for a the perfect host to make sure it’s a huge success and it could be perfect timing with Holly’s break in TV.”
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