Holly Willoughby 'shocked' ITV bosses after revealing 'This Morning' exit on Instagram

Holly Willoughby reportedly informed her ITV bosses just minutes before she took to Instagram to share that she quit This Morning, leaving the executives in shock.

According to MailOnline, sources at ITV revealed that the television presenter shocked everyone with the decision despite rumours of her potentially deciding to throw the towel following the kidnap and murder plot that emerged against her. 

The management at ITV was reportedly 'confident' that Willoughby was willing to continue her job as a presenter as she was offered all the support she needed. 

"While there have been murmurings since the kidnap [allegation] came out that Holly might decide to give it all up, the bosses were confident that they were giving her all of the support she needed," a source said. 

"Then bang, this. It came as a real shock, especially as she vowed to save This Morning after Phil was ousted. People are gobsmacked, the place is chaos," they added. 

Another source elaborated that the announcement was not known until it was posted on social media.

"It would appear no one on the programme knew she was quitting until she announced it on social media," the second source said.

Sources close to her went on to add that the kidnap and murder plot left her 'terrified', and brought on the realisation that she did not want to be away from her children.

For the unversed, 36-year-old Gavin Plumb was charged with the intention to kidnap and murder the television personality.

The development came in just weeks after she signed a revamped contract that promised a major increase in her annual pay from £700,000 to £1 million.