Holly Willoughby has been charged with driving without due care and attention, with the case scheduled to be considered by magistrates later this week. The 44-year-old presenter is accused of committing the motoring offence on 28 August near her £3 million home in London

‍Court papers list the charge—brought under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988—against Willoughby under her married name. Sentencing guidelines suggest the TV star could face a fine and as many as nine points on her licence. Her case appears on the docket at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court for Tuesday’s session. While she is permitted to attend in person, the majority of minor driving cases are handled via written plea.

The legislation she is charged under covers a wide range of behaviours considered careless, including driving while distracted, tailgating, or engaging in activities such as applying make-up or arguing with passengers. Willoughby has previously been photographed behind the wheel of the £25,000 Mini Cooper cited in the case, including shortly after announcing her departure from ITV’s Dancing On Ice earlier this year.

This is not her first brush with motoring difficulties. In 2019, she made headlines after leaving her £100,000 Mercedes G-Class in a disabled parking bay when the vehicle suffered a flat tyre. Three years earlier, the same car was reported stolen before being located outside the Kensington offices of her husband, TV producer Dan Baldwin.

The upcoming court date comes after a turbulent period in Willoughby’s professional and personal life. She stepped down from ITV’s This Morning in October 2023 after 14 years on the programme, following a wave of controversy linked to former co-host Phillip Schofield’s departure.

In July last year, 37-year-old Gavin Plumb was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder the presenter. He was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years. Friends of Willoughby have since spoken of the profound emotional toll the case had on her.

Despite recent challenges, industry insiders claim the mother-of-three may be gearing up for a major return to television, with speculation suggesting she is being considered as a potential successor to Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.