Holly Willoughby described Cilla Black is "an icon".
The TV presenter insisted she isn’t bothered about "fame" but would love a career with the longevity of her idol’s.
She told the Daily Express newspaper’s Saturday magazine: "I try not to take fame too seriously … [But] it would be amazing if I were to have a career as long as Cilla Black’s.
"I’m a huge fan of hers, she’s like an icon to me … You can only aspire to a career like hers."
Holly will host a one-off special for ‘Surprise Surprise’ – which ran from 1984 to 2001, and originally returned in 2012 after an 11 year break – and she is excited to bring back the programme Cilla made famous.
She added: "I think ‘Surprise Surprise’ is still popular with viewers because it has such a history.
"It’s one of those shows where people have fond memories of watching it the first time around with Cilla.
"The fact that it ran for such a long time back then shows how much people had taken it into their hearts. And I think even if we changed the format slightly, people would still take it into their hearts because of the nature of the show."
Holly Willoughby admires Cilla Black
