Holly Willoughby dogged by claims she ‘skipped Ant McPartlin’s nuptials to avoid seeing former management amid legal battle’
Holly Willoughby has been dogged by claims she missed her good friend Ant McPartlin’s wedding to Anne-Marie Corbett over fears she would bump into her old bosses from her ex-management company.
According to The Sun, the TV presenter, 40, avoided the ceremony to skip a run-in with senior executives from the YMU Group she left earlier this year who she is locked in a legal battle with.
However, sources close to the star told MailOnline that Holly reached out to Ant and Anne-Marie to apologise for not attending – insisting the reason was ‘legitimate’ and ‘not business-related’.
Awkward: Holly Willoughby has been dogged by claims she ‘skipped Ant McPartlin’s nuptials to avoid seeing former management amid legal battle’
The insider explained: ‘Holly would not have missed Ant’s wedding if she really couldn’t help it.
‘She wouldn’t miss a friend’s wedding because of anything business related. That’s just not the case. Anyone who knows her knows how important her friendships are to her.
‘There is another reason she couldn’t be there and she has explained this to the people who matter the most in this – Ant and Anne-Marie.’
Holly later reached out publicly and wrote underneath a picture of Ant and Anne-Marie on Instagram: ‘Congratulations,’ with four love heart emojis.
More to the story: sources close to the star told MailOnline that Holly reached out to Ant and Anne-Marie to apologise for not attending – insisting the reason was ‘legitimate’ (Ant and Anne-Marie pictured at their wedding)
It comes after a separate source told The Sun: ‘Holly is an incredibly close friend of Ant’s and when she failed to turn up to the church, or reception, it got people talking.
‘People who know her said she swerved the wedding as it would have been hugely awkward for her to come face-to-face with the people she is battling with.’
Holly’s This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield, who is represented by YMU, was in attendance at the ceremony.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Holly for comment.
Holly hired lawyers to take action against the YMU Group after they demanded a percentage of her future earnings, it was reported in February.
It was said ITV were considering upping the presenter’s This Morning salary if her legal fight with her old agents ‘reached crisis level’.
Network bosses feared Holly would walk away from her This Morning role if she was forced to pay YMU the estimated 15% sunset provisions they are asking for.
An insider said: ‘Holly is an incredibly close friend of Ant’s and when she failed to turn up to the church, or reception, it got people talking’ (pictured with Ant and Declan Donnelly in 2016)
Sunset provisions are commissions collected by agents from a star who is no longer on their roster, meaning YMU could get a cut from her appearances on Dancing On Ice and This Morning going forward.
Holly formed her own all-female agency called Roxy last year – and is now managing herself.
She is said to be willing to pay YMU commissions on jobs arranged while she was with them, but not if those contracts are renewed, The Sun reported.
The mother-of-three has been told she could be forced to pay YMU some £10,000 should their bid be successful.
Legal battle: Holly hired lawyers to take action against the YMU Group after they demanded a percentage of her future earnings, it was reported in February
The presenter has hired a team of lawyers – who she met in February – to ensure that does not happen.
It comes after Ant raised his hand in elation next to his bride Anne-Marie Corbett – who wore a £15,000 dress – as they posed outside a church for his first social media snap after getting married.
The couple had a wedding ceremony in Hampshire after tying the knot during a star-studded service at St Michael’s Church.
The bride, 43, looked elegant in a bespoke floor-length dress by designer Suzanne Neville that featured an one-shoulder design with lace detailing as she held onto her husband’s, 45, hand under the floral arch.
Anne-Marie wore a long veil which flowed down the back of her dress and pinned her blonde tresses back in a chic updo while opting for glowing makeup. She carried a beautiful bunch of white and purple roses.
Meanwhile dapper Ant gave a beaming smile and punched the air in delight as he left with the beauty, after arriving with best man Declan Donnelly, 45, who wore a matching black suit and lilac flower corsage.
Captioning the first Instagram photo from their big day, Ant wrote: ‘Mr and Mrs McPartlin!!’ and fans swarmed social media to congratulate the smitten couple.
The wedding was attended by a host of famous faces including Phillip, Stephen Mulhern, Alesha Dixon, Christine and Frank Lampard and Dermot O’Leary.
‘Mr and Mrs McPartlin!’ Ant raised his hand in elation next to his bride Anne-Marie as they posed outside a church for his first social media snap after getting married
Source: Read Full Article