TV Host Holly Willoughby Gets Emotional in First Interview Since Kidnapping Plot Was Uncovered: 'It's Been Tough'

Holly Willoughby is opening up about her harrowing near-kidnapping.

The British TV host, 43, opened up about how she’s chosen to move forward and return to television after a security guard, Gavin Plumb, 37, formed a plot to kidnap, rape and kill her in July 2024.

Per The Times, Plumb had attempted to enact his plan when he was apprehended by police. He was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison with a 16-year minimum term.

The ordeal led Willoughby to announce her exit from a live daytime magazine show called This Morning after 14 years on air.

“It’s been a tough one. There’s no way of sugar-coating it,” she told the outlet of the kidnapping plot with a shaky breath.

After taking a moment to compose herself, she continued, “Nothing can prepare you for something like that. When something like that happens, you have a decision to make. 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 acknowledged that was “healthy” and “happy” and lived a life with “a 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.

When asked if there ever was a point when her trauma nearly “consumed” her, the television star said: “It wasn’t an option.”

“For me, it’s just not an option. 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.”

She also added that choosing to walk away from This Morning was a decision that was “really simple and easy.”

“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.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Since leaving the show, Willoughby is ready to return to television. After dipping her toe by attending various award shows and resuming her hosting duties on ITV1’s Dancing on Ice and You Bet! with Stephen Mulhern, Willoughby will appear on Netflix’s new series Celebrity Bear Hunt alongside Bear Grylls.

“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 comeback.