Holly Willoughby bowed out from her role as team captain on Celebrity Juice on Thursday night after 12 years on the series.
The TV star, 39, marked the occasion by accepting a final challenge from host Keith Lemon – to recreate the ‘bendy’ moves she displayed in an earlier episode when she and fellow ex-team captain Fearne Cotton had to eat carrots whilst contorting their bodies.
Holly obliged, proving she was still pretty flexible – and revealing she had two odd shoes on in the process.
Bowing out! Holly Willoughby bowed out from her role as team captain on Celebrity Juice on Thursday night after 12 years on the series
The episode featured John Barrowman, Mel B and Joey Essex as well – all filmed from their homes amid the current UK lockdown.
Keith marked Holly’s departure by looking back at her best bits.
She admitted it was ‘really weird’ to be leaving the show after over a decade.
‘It was obviously a massive decision to make and a scary decision! Obviously 12 years is a really long time of doing something,’ she said, informing her yet-to-be-named successor to ‘enjoy every moment because there is no show like it’.
Once more with feeling! The TV star, 39, marked the occasion by accepting a final challenge from host Keith Lemon – to recreate the ‘bendy’ moves she displayed in an earlier episode when she and fellow ex-team captain Fearne Cotton had to eat carrots whilst contorting their bodies
Watching on: Holly obliged, proving she was still pretty flexible – and revealing she had two odd shoes on in the process
Team captain: The episode featured Mel B too, and was filmed from their homes amid the current UK lockdown
Fans were left disappointed to see Holly go. One took to Twitter to post: ‘Gutted Holly is leaving Celebrity Juice. She has provided plenty of laughs!’
Another echoed this, typing: ‘Ahh im gonna miss @hollywills in celebrity juice!’
A third wrote: ‘@hollywills I will definitely miss you on #celebrityjuice’
Holly revealed she was stepping down from the show earlier this month to spend more time with her family.
Guest: John Barrowman also made an appearance
Home-bound: As did Joey Essex who filmed from his house
But she also admitted that she fully intends to return to the show as a guest.
She told Keith she would be back for ‘special occasions’ as they reflected on her time on the comedy panel show.
Speaking to each other via video-link from their homes, Keith said: ‘We’ve had some fun times over the past 12 years, haven’t we?’
Keith said: ‘We’ve had some fun times over the past 12 years, haven’t we?’
While Holly reminisced: ‘We really have, we’ve laughed a lot.’
Keith added that he was going to miss Holly, and she gushed: ‘I know, I’m going to miss you too… lots!’
Hoping she would return, Keith asked: ‘Will you come back on special appearances on my birthday or something like that?’
Sweet: Keith added that he was going to miss Holly, and she gushed: ‘I know, I’m going to miss you too… lots!’
To which Holly promised: ‘Absolutely, like try and keep me away, I will be back.
‘Obviously I wont be team captain anymore because that will go to someone very very lucky but I will be back on the panel, I’ll come and play stupid games with you.’
Throwing in a cheeky joke for fun, Keith went on: ‘And sometimes when we’re really drunk can I get off with you like we used to do after the show?’
Request: Hoping she would return, Keith asked: ‘Will you come back on special appearances on my birthday or something like that?’
But Holly was unfazed by the remark, as she said firmly: ‘No, still a no.’
It comes after Keith admitted that he nearly quit Celebrity Juice after he was left ‘gutted’ over Holly’s shock exit.
Keith and Holly started presenting the show alongside Fearne, who left in 2018, in 2008 – meaning Keith is the last man standing from the original lineup.
The comedian revealed how Holly delivered the new via phone and he thought she was pregnant.
For sure: Holly promised: ‘Absolutely, like try and keep me away, I will be back… I will be back on the panel, I’ll come and play stupid games with you’
Joking around: Throwing in a cheeky joke for fun, Keith went on: ‘And sometimes when we’re really drunk can I get off with you like we used to do after the show?’ to which Holly refused
Keith added that Holly told him it was ‘like breaking up with a boyfriend’ and she has left the show to spend more time with her family. She has children Harry, ten, Belle, nine, and Chester, five, with husband Daniel Baldwin.
He told The Sun: ‘I was really sad and realised I was going to miss her. I’m gutted, she was like my TV sister. She’s welcome back any time. I’ll properly miss her.’
He added: ‘It’s weird not being able to say goodbye to her in person at the moment. I’ll miss Holly’s hugs.’
Keith said that he didn’t want to lower the mood of the episode by revealing Holly’s departure so has instead organised for next week’s episode to be a compilation of clips looking back over her time as a presenter.
Departure: The episode comes after Keith admitted that he nearly quit Celebrity Juice after he was left ‘gutted’ over Holly’s shock exit after revealing her decision earlier this month