Holly Willoughby reflects on kidnap, rape and murder plot: 'Nothing can prepare you'

Holly Willoughby has candidly reflected on her horrifying near-kidnapping experience.

The British television star, 43, is opening up about her return to television more than a year after security guard, Gavin Plumb, 37, was found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape and kill her in July of last year. 

Plumb had been planning to kidnap Willoughby until he was apprehended by police and sentenced to life in prison with a 16-year minimum term.

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After the harrowing ordeal, Willoughby announced she would be exiting This Morning after 14 years. Now, she's planning her return to normalcy.

"It's been a tough one. There's no way of sugar-coating it," she told The Times. 

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"Nothing can prepare you for something like that. When something like that happens, you have a decision to make. 

The star continued: "You either decide, right, I can take this on board and it can absolutely affect all aspects of my life. Or I can make a choice to go; let's focus on everything that's positive and good, all those important things."

Willoughby says she is "happy" and "healthy" as she looks to the future alongside her "wonderful husband and children and family" and "great friends."

"You have to go: I choose to positively move forward and rely on all those people – the police, the court, the judge, the jury – all those people to do their role. And that's what I had to do," she explained.

"For me, it's just not an option," she said of letting the trauma consume her.

"For all those reasons I've said," she explained. 

"That all means too much to me, to let, you know, that be the other road I could have gone down. And look, so many people go through tough things – they just do."

Willoughby revealed that her choice to depart This Morning was "simple," continuing: "That question is wrapped up in so many things that were going on at that time. But no. That was the last thing on my mind," she said of her exit.

The television star has set her sights on returning to work. She is slowly beginning to resume hosting  ITV1's Dancing on Ice and You Bet! with Stephen Mulhern and appearing on Celebrity Bear Hunt, Bear Grylls' new Netflix series.

"I knew that I would come back. It was important for me to get back to normality for lots of reasons," she said of her return to work.

If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue or in the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).

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