Holly Willoughby to co-host I'm A Celebrity

Ant, Dec and Holly WilloughbyPA

Ant and Dec presenting Willoughby with best TV personality at the Glamour Awards in 2016

Holly Willoughby will co-host this year's I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! alongside Declan Donnelly, ITV has announced.

Willoughby will fill in for Donnelly's regular partner, Ant McPartlin, while he takes a break from TV presenting.

"I couldn't be more excited to have been asked to stand alongside Dec for the next jungle adventure," said the This Morning regular.

Donnelly said he was "hugely grateful", adding: "I'm thrilled she said yes."

He said it would be "a different kind of series" without Ant, who stepped down from his TV work in March to have treatment after his drink-driving arrest.

"But we will try our best to ensure it is no less fun and eventful for our loyal viewers," he continued.

Willoughby added: "These are big shoes, not to fill, but just to keep warm for a little bit.

"I love Ant and want to send him my best wishes and support for a continued recovery."

ITV's Director of Television Kevin Lygo, added: "Holly is a brilliant presenter with a wicked sense of humour who has always enjoyed a great friendship and rapport with Ant and Dec.

"I have no doubt she will take to jungle life, if not the critters, really quickly."

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post by This Morning

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

ITV said it would announce plans for This Morning, which Willoughby has co-hosted with Phillip Schofield since 2009, "in due course".

Earlier this year, McPartlin was fined £86,000 and given a 20-month driving ban after admitting drink driving.

Earlier this month the 42-year-old confirmed he would not return to TV presenting until 2019.

Ant and Dec have co-presented the programme in the Australian jungle since it began in 2002.

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

More on this story