Monday, 3 March 2008

Holly Willoughby: I don't worry about my weight I'd rather eat ice cream!

Dancing On Ice host Holly tells NOW that she loves her curves and is shocked at the fuss over that revealing dress

When Holly arrives at London’s plush Charlotte Street Hotel for her interview with, she can’t stop smiling – and who can blame her? Life’s sweet. Newly married, planning a family and with her TV career riding high, nothing can hold her back.
However, three weeks ago Holly, 27, was the subject of a tabloid frenzy when viewers complained about a revealing outfit she wore to present Dancing On Ice. Down-to-earth Holly – today wearing a dress with a high neckline – is concerned that her curvy size 12 body’s attracting more attention than her presenting skills…

How do you feel about all the fuss over ‘boobgate’?
It was very weird and surprising. I didn’t realise that dress would cause such a reaction, especially as I always wear dresses like that and it was the one I had on in all the publicity shots for the show. Everyone at work’s been really nice and Phillip [Schofield] found it hilarious. I think people aren’t used to seeing normal size 12 women on TV any more. They mistake curves for being overtly sexual. Having boobs doesn’t mean being undressed – it’s just being a normal woman.

It was hardly a Jodie Marsh two belts affair, was it?
Exactly! I thought it was elegant and beautiful. Only five people complained out of 9.8 million viewers, though, so I don’t think that’s too bad.

This isn’t your first boob incident, though, is it?
True – it’s coming back to haunt me now. When I was presenting Ministry Of Mayhem a few years ago, I was dancing and my boob fell out! It was so embarrassing. I learnt my lesson: always wear a sturdy bra. There could be an earthquake and I’d be the only person still in their dress. I’m an expert with boob tape, too.

How does it feel now that your boobs are pretty much as famous as you?
I’d rather the fuss was about my presenting style rather than my breasts. It wasn’t as bad as Judy Finnigan’s flash – it wasn’t a wardrobe malfunction.

Do you have to work hard to stay in shape?
I was born with curves and they’ll always be there. I eat sensibly and look after myself, but I don’t deny myself anything. I’m a big fan of chocolate Häagen-Dazs. I find talking about weight boring. People are too obsessed about size. It’s your shape, so deal with it. If you don’t want to be that size, go on a diet and do some exercise. That’s where the subject ends for me.

What’s your best ever fashion cheat?
Spanx pants. I’ve discovered that I can hide my mic down the leg of them and they give me a nicer shape on TV. I’m revolutionising female TV presenting!

Whose figure do you admire?
Kelly Brook has an amazing figure and I like Nigella Lawson, too – she’s really womanly.

Would you ever want to go back to modelling?
I enjoy getting dressed up and posing, but I love presenting too much to do it full-time. I used to do lingerie modelling for Pretty Polly, but it wasn’t like I was flashing around in Ann Summers – it was stuff your nan would buy.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
I’m really quick. I like to maximise sleep time, so I can get up and |out of the door in 30 minutes. I’ve started having three-minute showers to save water. People on average spend seven minutes in the shower and for every minute, you use 9ltr of water. If everyone switched to a three-minute shower, you’d save an Olympic swimming pool’s worth of water. It’s a little thing everyone can do to make a big difference.

You tied the knot with Dan Baldwin, 32, last year. How’s married life?
I highly recommend it. It’s nice being a wife and I love calling him my husband, although I think I probably overuse it a bit. He’s actually listed in my phone as ‘hubby’ – is that a bit sad? The one thing I’ll say in the defence of marriage is that I think it brings you closer. Dan and I were close before, but we definitely look out for each other a lot more and you do feel like a family. It’s like I have these two lives now. There’s Holly Willoughby who’s on telly and Holly Baldwin who goes home and makes jam.

So you’re quite domesticated?
I do like the role of domestic goddess – it fits me quite well. I love cooking and looking after Dan as much as he looks after me. I love going home and being cosy. It’s boring, but I’m so happy.

So you’re not secretly a party animal?
Don’t get me wrong, we do go out, but we’re just not falling out of Chinawhite at 2am. We have people over instead – the bottles that go in my recycling bin paint a pretty good picture. I’m not some boring old fart, like some people seem to think I am.

Are you getting broody?
Definitely. Everyone I know seems to be having babies at the moment. I really want to start a family soon.

So when do you think you’ll start having babies?
Family’s really important to both of us and we’re desperate to have kids, but we’re also happy to wait. I’m only 27, so I have plenty of time. I think it’s important to indulge in each other for a bit. We’ll definitely have kids – it’s just a question of when. Myleene Klass has really paved the way and shown that you can have kids and still do this job. She’s like the Bionic Woman!

How many children would you like to have?
Mystic Meg said in her column for my birthday: ‘Holly will have the first of her four children this year.’ I thought that was nice of her to announce it to everyone! I don’t know, if I had loads of money like Victoria Beckham I’d probably have about 10. I’d buy a big mansion and fill it up with babies, but I suppose we have to be a bit more realistic than that.

You obviously love hosting Dancing On Ice – which celeb would you like to have as a contestant on the show?
Prince William would be amazing because then the Queen would have to come down and we could call it Dancing On Ice By Royal Appointment. I think he’d be good at it, too, because he’s very tall and strong. I was so jealous when Fearne [Cotton] interviewed the Princes. That’s the most jealous I’ve ever been in my life – I definitely had prince envy.

Have you been hanging out with Fearne much now that she’s heading off to work in America?
She hasn’t gone yet – in fact, she’s coming over tonight for tea and biscuits. She loves it over there and her boyfriend Jessie Jenkins is American, but she won’t be there for good.

Can you skate?
I went ice-skating at Christmas time and I was quite shockingly bad, which made me realise even more how brilliant they are for merely standing up on the ice, let alone spinning each other around.

Would you ever want to be a contestant?
No, I don’t know how they do it. Suzanne Shaw still has broken ribs, so I don’t quite understand how she’s being flung around the way she is. It’s insane. They’re all crazy. I get freaked out by it. I can’t look half the time. I look at Phil’s face instead to see how they’re doing, but he winds me up by pulling shocked faces.

Who has the best skater’s bottom this year?
Linda Lusardi’s figure is unbelievable. She’s a size 8 and her body’s become so toned – her arms are just amazing.

Do you like a man in Lycra?
No, I’m not keen and I definitely haven’t suggested it to my husband. I think I’ll leave the sequins for my wardrobe, thank you very much. The blokes on the show all love it. They start off being coy about it, but by the end they’re all covered in sequins.

How do you get along with the judges?
They’re brilliant. I love all of them for completely different reasons. I know Jason Gardiner can say the wrong thing, but he does get great results. He’s cruel to be kind. They’re all fighting a bit at the moment, but I don’t think there’ll be a punch-up, although I do worry about what’s going to come out of their mouths. I have to be a bit like a teacher to sort them out.

What sort of judge do you think you’d make?
I’d be rubbish because I’d just tell everyone that they were brilliant. They’d kick me off for giving them extra points for being funny rather than good at skating.

By Karen Dunn