Holly Willoughby is confirmed to join Dec for I'm a Celebrity 2018
29 August 2018, 10:36 | Updated: 23 October 2018, 12:49
It's official: it's now Holly & Dec.
Holly Willoughby has been confirmed as Declan Donnelly's co-host for I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! for 2018.
It will be the first time that Dec has had a full-time co-host other than his usual partner Ant McPartlin.
Holly said: “I couldn’t be more excited to have been asked to stand alongside Dec for the next jungle adventure. I love Ant and want to send him my best wishes and support for a continued recovery.
"These are big shoes, not to fill, but just to keep warm for a little bit... Honestly, I’m a huge fan of I’m a Celebrity and actually feel like I’ve won a competition to go and hang out on my favourite show! When is it a good time to tell Dec I’m scared of everything that moves?!”
Dec added: “I am hugely grateful to Holly for agreeing to accompany me to Australia this year. She was at the top of my list and I’m thrilled she said yes.
"It will be a different kind of series but we will try our best to ensure it is no less fun and eventful for our loyal viewers. I am also pleased to hear Holly is scared of everything. I am almost stupidly excited at the thought of watching her during the eating trials!”
It has yet to be confirmed what ITV's plans for This Morning will be, with regular host Holly soon to be in Australia for a number of weeks.
I'm a Celebrity 2018: Who's heading to the jungle?
Ant McPartlin has already confirmed that he will not return for the next series while he continues his recovery from alcohol addiction.
Ant & Dec have also confirmed that Saturday Night Takeaway will not return next year, as it would usually require them to start filming in the coming weeks. It will instead return in 2020.
Ant said: "My recovery is going very well and for that to continue having spoken to Dec and ITV, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off."
He continued: "I’d like to thank both Dec and ITV for their continued support and I look forward to getting back to work in the new year."
Dec added: "Whilst I am obviously sad at the thought of being without my best friend in Australia this year, I am proud of the work Ant has been doing privately and I am fully supportive of his decision.
"I’m looking forward to us both being reunited on screen in 2019."
Ant went to court in April following a collision with two other vehicles earlier this year. He was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after pleading guilty to being twice the legal drink drive limit.
He said at the time: "I just want to say I'm truly sorry for what happened. Higher standards are expected of me – I expect them of myself."
Dec hosted the last two episodes of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and all of this year's Britain's Got Talent live shows on his own.
