TV host Holly Willoughby quit lifestyle brand because she didn’t want to be UK’s answer to Gwyneth Paltrow

HOLLY Willoughby quit new lifestyle empire Truly just weeks before it launched after deciding she wants to focus on her showbiz career and family.

The mum-of-three told pals that she did not want the site to become Britain’s answer to Goop — Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand.

The overstretched TV host, 37, told her business partner, Dragons' Den star Peter Jones, 52, this week after she a change of heart at the 11th hour — saying she has to “put family first”.

It comes after she signed up to replace Ant McPartlin on I’m A Celebrity, further putting pressure on her already manic schedule, and became the face of Marks and Spencer.

She already presents ITV’s This Morning daily with Phillip Schofield, 56, and is a panelist on Celebrity Juice alongside Fearne Cotton, also 37. She will then front Dancing on Ice again when it returns in January.

She announced the news late on Tuesday evening, telling fans if she stuck with the project it would begin to “affect” her home life with TV producer husband Dan Baldwin, 43.

A source close to Holly revealed: “It was a really tough decision for Holly, but it’s one that’s come quite late in the day. Truly was meant to launch in the next few weeks but at the 11th hour she’s said she could no longer be a part of it.

“It will mean the whole launch will now be pushed back until next year, which is a major headache.”

The company is a venture between Peter, his wife Tara, 45, and Holly’s sister Kelly, 40 — who are all directors of the firm. But Holly will now step away from the project entirely despite announcing the news to huge fanfare.

A source added: “It’s about what’s best for her family. It was a hard decision but the right one for Holly and her husband Dan. She’d done a load of publicity around the launch of it just weeks ago. So it was a real last minute decision.”

Truly was initially billed as the British equivalent of Goop, offering readers advice on home, fashion, baby, wellness, living and travel.

In her full online post, she wrote: “After much consideration, I have made the decision to step away from Truly.

"To launch a brand needs total dedication and at the moment, with so many other commitments, this is not something I feel I can do without it starting to affect my family time at home. I wish Truly all the success for the future.”