Man Faces Charges for Alleged Attempted Kidnapping Plot Involving Holly Willoughby

A man named Gavin Plumb, aged 36, has been charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap in relation to a reported plot to kidnap TV presenter Holly Willoughby. Essex Police arrested Plumb on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation. Willoughby did not appear on Thursday's edition of This Morning and was reported to be under police protection at her home. Plumb is currently in custody and is expected to appear at Chelmsford magistrates court on Friday. While Essex Police did not confirm whether Willoughby was the target of the alleged plot, The Sun reported that the police had found threatening messages during the arrest. Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby stated that the safeguarding of any victim is a priority and that the investigation will continue in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police Service. This incident follows a challenging period for Willoughby, including accusations of queue-jumping at the Queen's lying-in-state and the resignation of her former co-presenter Philip Schofield amid rumors of strained relations and an extramarital affair. Willoughby has chosen to remain as a presenter but took a break from the show to address the fallout. Additionally, over the summer, several current and former ITV employees contacted MPs regarding claims of toxic working environments and harassment on ITV daytime shows, including This Morning. The BBC sought comment from Willoughby's representatives but was directed to the police.