Holly Willoughby heals rift with Phil Schofield as he reaches out to offer support over 'kidnap and murder plot' ordeal

HOLLY Willoughby has healed her rift with Phillip Schofield after he offered support following an alleged plot to kidnap and kill himself.

Holly, 42, was placed under round-the-clock police protection after the alert was raised moments before she was due to present This Morning on Thursday.

Holly and Phil co-hosted This Morning for 14 years

Holly has been placed on ‘indefinite leave’

Phillip Schofield left This Morning earlier this yearCredit: Rex

Sources close to Phil, with whom she hosted the ITV show for 14 years, said he was sick of the allegations.

The 61-year-old is said to have reached out to his former best friend for the first time in months, reports the Sunday Mirror.

The pair have not spoken since Phil was axed from the flagship ITV show for lying about an affair with a junior employee.

But Holly welcomed the approach – with a source telling the Sun she was “really happy” to bury the hatchet.

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A source close to Holly told The Sun on Sunday: “Despite rumors of their falling out – Holly contacted Phil because she was worried about the toll his departure from ITV was taking on him.

“He has now reached out to her after hearing about the incident. She was very happy to hear him.”

The pair’s close friendship ended after Phil admitted lying about a relationship with a young female employee and left the long-running ITV daytime show.

Holly is thought to have contacted him during the fall and expressed her concerns, but the pair are believed to have had no further contact.

A source told the Sunday Mirror: “Holly and Phil’s friendship was so close before the event this year. Phil’s decision to reach out and the welcome Holly received show that there is still a connection.”

The source added: “Hopefully they can regain some of their lost ground and support each other again.”

The reconciliation comes after Holly was placed on “indefinite leave” for this morning following the alleged plot.

Holly has been under round-the-clock surveillance since details of the alleged plot emerged.

Police officers are stationed outside the London home she shares with her husband, Dan Baldwin, and their three children.

ITV is also seen as providing security and support.

She was left “shocked and distraught” and it was decided to withdraw from the show.

Gavin Plumb, 36, appeared in court yesterday after police raided his home in Essex earlier this week.

Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday that Plumb, from Harlow, Essex, allegedly hatched a plan to kidnap and kill the TV star.

Officers are understood to have found chloroform, cable ties, a blindfold and ropes in Plumb’s home when they raided it.

They believed it could have been part of a “kidnapping and binding kit”.

It has emerged that officers also believe Plumb tried to recruit a hitman in the US to carry out the plot.

After raiding Plumb’s home, police charged him with solicitation to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnapping.

Plumb spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, address and where he worked when he appeared in court.

He was refused bail by District Judge Caroline Jackson and will appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 3.

This Morning bosses were alerted to the alleged plot on Thursday morning and the presenter decided to pull out shortly before she was due to appear.

On yesterday’s show, regular Friday presenter Dermot O’Leary said: “We won’t talk too much about it, but Holly is making headlines after police arrested a 36-year-old man for an alleged kidnapping plot.”

A source told the paper: “Phil was absolutely horrified to hear she was allegedly targeted in such a sickening way and decided to reach out to her, despite their lack of contact.

“He wanted her to know he was thinking of her and her family. They have so much history, and this is something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.”

Tensions between the daytime TV stars rose in May after Phil released a statement describing her as his “rock” while admitting the past few weeks “have not been easy for either of us”.

A few days later, Phil announced his retirement from the show and issued a lengthy apology for lying to his employers, colleagues, friends and management company about his “unwise but not illegal” affair.

In response, Holly wrote on her Instagram page: “When the reports of this relationship first came out, I asked Phil if it was true and was told it wasn’t. It was very painful to find out that this was a lie.”