Live webchat with Holly Willoughby and her sister Kelly, Wednesday 19 June, 2-3pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Holly Willoughby and sister Kelly are joining us for a webchat on Wednesday 19th June at 2-3pm. Holly and Kelly always dreamt of writing a story together since their childhood when they would make up stories and dress up and perform for their parents. Their dream has come true as their first book School for Stars: First Term at L'etoile is being published on 20th June. Set in a performing arts boarding school, the story is a perfect mix ofGlee and X Factor but with all the classic charm of Ballet Shoes and Malory Towers; full of midnight feasts, makeovers, dares, drama and dance.

Holly is best known for presenting ITV1's flagship daytime programme This Morning as well as prime-time shows Surprise Surprise and The Voice. She won a Children's BAFTA award for best presenter in 2006. Kelly has always dreamt of being an author and is delighted to be realising her dream with her sister.

Come and chat to Holly and Kelly on Weds 19th at 2pm, but if you're unable to join us at that time, post your question in advance to this thread.

Holly and Kelly will also be signing copies of their new book after school next Thursday 20th June at 4.15pm in Harrods Toy Kingdom. Find out more.

I've never taken part in a webchat before - I thought that was good. They are promoting their book, so fair enough they focused on that. Holly was also quite clear re Celebrity Juice - it's on after the watershed, so up to parents to regulate.

People have many aspects to them & just because you're a parent / working with children, doesn't preclude you from being involved in adult activities.

Well, I didn't expect them to answer those questions. They were only here to promote the book and I suppose they thought it best (or were advised) to stick to the topic.

I'm tired of it though. Hugh Fearlessly-Eatsitall was like that too.

And you know, it could have been a really interesting conversation today, an we would still have got the bloody message that they have written a book

I've started a thread about it.

I would have loved holly to have answered the questions about her image though. She is obviously not unintelligent, it would have been very interesting indeed to see her viewpoint on it.

But she could have answered the role model questions. Its a valid point because it pertains to how the book is being marketed.

Fair point Shade.

Ah sure I know their aim was promoting the book, but it would have been really interesting to read HW debating and discussing some of the non-book related points!

It's a bit of a stretch to call Celebrity Juice adult. It's distinctly juvenile. Not to mention degrading, it encourages sexual harassment, is totally cringeworthy, rude (and not in a clever way) and half the show focuses on boobs, or lack of.

That's why I wonder how being a permanent feature on such a show did with being a child author and the image Holly has created on This Morning and presenting other family shows.

Very disappointing and boring web chat.

I'm sure someone going on This Morning to promote a book, would have been asked about other subjects, including lots of the questions asked here.

Really strange that they chose not to answer them and rather hypercritical.

I'd also just like to point out that at least four posters on this thread have registered only to post here

Funnily enough, their questions were probably the most sycophantic least challenging.

(and yes, I'm sad enough to have checked)

Ha ha how hilarious if it wasn't so sad

I wonder who's office they work in

I think in future MNHQ should just be honest and say "only post questions that are a) non confontational and b) are about the product they are pushing"

@BIWI

I'd also just like to point out that at least four posters on this thread have registered only to post here

Funnily enough, their questions were probably the most sycophantic least challenging.

Actually, that happens quite a lot on our webchats. Folk see our pre-publicity on Twitter and the like, and join Mumsnet to take part. And we welcome that, tbh. The more the merrier!

We don't prescreen for ability to challenge sychophancy though.

How can you tell they have just registered BIWI?

Well you are bound to say that, Helen, as it's clearly driving people to Mumsnet, which I do get isn't a bad thing.

But I wonder - especially given the posts that were actually made - how many of these people are joining for genuine reasons, as opposed to 'helping the conversation along?'

Given that you prevent people from registering prior to 'important' webchats, like the political ones, it seems a bit like double standards not to do the same here.

.... and I think it's such a pity because all that those kind of overly-flattering posts to is to water down the quality of the debate. And it becomes much less 'Mumsnetty', IYSWIM?

Advance search their posting names, Sparklinbrook, and it shows how many threads they have posted on

I was deleted.l! I wasn't civil or polite.

Harrumph

Sorry - Sparklingbrook, got your name wrong

I slightly wonder what the lovely, feisty, very intelligent community of MN is coming to if two sisters who have written an, imo, inane story (sorry!) and who can only list 'Harry Potter' as a favourite work are being invited on to do webchats.

It doesn't seem in keeping AT ALL.

Sorry.

That was entirely vacuous.

What did you get deleted for Eliot? I can't remember you saying anything rude or nasty.

Gutted that they didn't answer my question on the Financial Transaction Tax.

I agree with what excuse said.

I think we all understand that CJ is on after the watershed It's a trite point that HW makes But young fans of the book Holly has 'written' may see the youtube clips. Of course HW avoided the point though

She (HW) was being asked an intelligent question about dissonance by a number of posters, and frankly the response 'well don't let them watch bad telly that I'm in, then' was nearly vapid enough to be insulting.