Is Stephen Mulhern about to torpedo Holly Willoughby’s large comeback? Much-loved presenter sparks fears for his well being simply days earlier than the pair reunite for large new sport present

After a tumultuous year, including a kidnap plot and shock This Morning exit, Holly Willoughby is preparing to make her big TV comeback alongside pal Stephen Mulhern.

But after a year filled with mystery health scares, property issues and the tragic passing of his father, could Stephen torpedo her big comeback? 

Holly, who left her role at This Morning in October 2023, is returning to ITV with new Saturday night entertainment show You Bet!

Co-hosting alongside Stephen, who was rushed to hospital this week after collapsing at Pizza Express, the epic gameshow will air on ITV this December as viewers watch ordinary people take on extraordinary challenges.

Holly is happy to be working with Stephen – who has been a steady pair of hands for ITV when other presenters have stepped away – once again after the pair presented Dancing On Ice together earlier this year.

After her former co-star Phillip Schofield quit all of his ITV commitments in the wake of his affair scandal with a younger male colleague, Stephen filled his shoes for the ITV skating competition.

Speaking about working with him again she said: ‘It’s lovely working with Stephen. We started working together when I was in my twenties and have known each other for a very long time.’

Meanwhile Stephen added: ‘Holly and I love working together and we had so much fun on the show! But some of the challenges are really nail-biting and we we’re literally hanging onto each other.’

Featuring a star-studded celebrity panel including comedian Rob Beckett, Alison Hammond and Olly Murs, for each challenge the celebrities and studio audience must bet if the challengers can do it – YES or NO?

And the stakes couldn’t be higher because the audience’s favourite challenger of the night will win a massive £10,000…whilst the losing celebrity must take part in the dreaded forfeit finale.

Stephen has proved he is devoted to ITV as prior to his new project, he has previously stepped in to host Dancing On Ice and Britain’s Got Talent.

But despite Stephen being one of ITV’s top favourite presenters, he may find it hard to focus on his latest TV project with Holly as he struggles with a mystery health scares, property issues and the tragic passing of his father.

Stephen first sparked concern after he pulled out of Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway back in April after he was struck down with illness.

He reportedly told producers on the Saturday morning of filming that he was not up for doing the show that evening as he was feeling under the weather.

While he was absent from the show, the nature of his illness wasn’t revealed but a source close to Stephen told The Sun on Sunday: ‘Stephen was due to be on a small section of the show, but sadly he was feeling a bit too poorly to perform.

‘When he realised he would be too under the weather to show up he called first thing on Saturday morning to let the team know.

‘They were able to rejig the format and make it work without him.’

A representative for Stephen told MailOnline at the time: ‘Stephen was due to be involved in one of the sketches in tonight’s show but sadly he was unable to take part due to him feeling unwell. He’s looking forward to being back for the final next weekend.’

Back in 2022 Stephen was absent from television for a few weeks after he underwent a hospital procedure and was told to rest under doctor’s orders.

Addressing his fans at the time he tweeted: ‘Hello all, Sorry I’ve been quiet on here recently and thank you for all your lovely messages. I’ve had some time off and been resting up on doctors orders.

‘I’m on the mend, I’m happy to say, and looking forward to getting back to work soon. In the meantime, I’ll put my feet up and watch Saturday Night Takeaway tonight with the rest of you lot.’

His most recent hospital scare on Wednesday resulted in an ambulance being called after staff at Pizza Express became concerned for him at around 8pm.

As a precaution, he was taken from Sunningdale, Berks, to nearby Frimley Park hospital in Camberley, Surrey after being checked over by paramedics.

After paramedics helped Stephen, he called his mother Maureen to assure her that he was OK and is now at home resting up and is mortified to have had such a public reaction to the anaesthetic.

A source told MailOnline: ‘He had a procedure which took place yesterday (Wednesday). Following the anaesthetic that was administered, he had a few drinks which made him unwell and he was.’

While Stephen keeps his personal life incredible private, it was revealed this week that his father Christopher recently passed away.

A spokesperson for Stephen told MailOnline: ‘Stephen has had an incredibly tough time over the past few weeks. His beloved father recently passed away which has hit him hard and has been understandably very stressful.

Stephen was born in east London in 1977 to parents Christopher and Maureen who worked as market traders.

The star has credited his success to his parents saying: ‘I don’t mean to sound soppy, but they worked so incredibly hard to bring up me and my two brothers and sister.’

Raised alongside his three siblings, he honed his people skills by working on his father’s market stall before he went on to pursue his career as a magician.

Stephen has also had a stressful time regarding one of his properties after his tenants claimed they had been living with damp and mould for years.

The presenter was forced to apologise to the tenants living in a house owned by his £4million firm after they said they felt ‘bitter and alienated’ after having their complaints ignored for two to three years.

Pictures of the refurbished bungalow obtained by The Big Issue showed walls covered in damp and mould, which the tenants – one of which was a key worker during the pandemic – said affected their mental health.

Stephen said he had no idea about how bad the flats were and is ‘absolutely mortified’.

He said he was paying an independent management company to look after the property and promised to fix it as a ‘matter of urgency’.

It was refurbished and rented out to the tenant and a flatmate, who pay £775 a month.

The tenants first noticed a problem with damp and mould and pointed it out during an inspection with management agent Connells a few years ago.

They said: ‘The agent merely recommended that we ventilate properly and keep the house warm during the winter. We did, but the damp gradually worsened. We remained patient, sending polite emails at first. In later conversations, my remarks became a bit sharper.’

One of the tenants slammed Mr Mulhern as ‘a millionaire, profiting off our misery’

‘I despise how little they seem to care…Stephen Mulhern, Jas Athwal and their ilk are all part of the same system that treats tenants like disposable income streams.’

Stephen’s spokesperson told MailOnline in October: ‘Stephen was absolutely mortified to learn about this situation and the awful experience the tenant has faced which is clearly unacceptable.

‘Stephen had not been made aware of any of these issues as he relies entirely on an independent company who manage the property on his behalf.

‘Having not been aware of the issues until now, Stephen has taken this matter into his own hands immediately and has personally requested for a team of damp specialists to visit the property to make sure that the problems with the ventilation and mould are resolved as a matter of urgency.

‘We have contacted the tenant to express sincere apologies for the distress and frustration the management of this matter has caused.

‘This falls way below the standards Stephen expects and he is doing everything possible to remedy this ASAP, and this process is already underway.’

MailOnline has contacted Stephen and Holly’s representative’s for comment.