As Stephen Mulhern is set to return to our screens this weekend with his latest television show, You Bet! On Tour - many may be unaware of the difficult year the presenter has had. From losing his beloved father to collapsing in a restaurant, Stephen has continued to juggle his numerous hosting jobs and even took to the stage at the Royal Variety Performance. Now, the 48-year-old will be travelling across the country with a panel of celebrity guests for his new series. 

While Stephen presented You Bet! With his friend and fellow Dancing On Ice host, Holly Willoughby, this time he will be flying solo. A spokesperson for ITV told Radio Times that this was because Holly “couldn’t commit to the dates” of filming the travelling series. 

In November, Stephen experienced a scare when out at a Pizza Express in Sunningdale. He suddenly collapsed and was taken to a hospital in Surrey by paramedics. A spokesperson later explained that the presenter had undergone a procedure requiring local anaesthetic that morning. They told us: “Following the anaesthetic that was administered, he had a few drinks which made him unwell and he was taken in to hospital as a precaution. He’s is now back home recovering.”

A spokesperson revealed that Stephen had just lost his father when the incident occurred. They explained: “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.”

In May this year, Stephen opened up about filming his new ITV show, The Accidental Tourist. He told the Mirror that the process took him “totally” out of him comfort zone and that viewers could expect to see a lot of emotion. 

The presenter opened up about the death of his father, Christopher, and how he wished he had been able to see the show when it came out. He said: “My dad had just passed away, so that’s the only thing. I’m gutted that he didn’t see it.”

While Stephen has kept his emotions around his father’s death relatively private, he did share a touching moment while on stage at the Royal Variety Performance. After his magic act, the presenter said: “That was for you dad.” 

Ahead of the new series of You Bet!, Stephen said he was “thrilled” that the show was back. He added: “Each week I’ll be joined by a top celeb panel, as our challengers take on some brilliantly bonkers and amazing challenges. With the title of You Bet Champion on the line, it’s going to be unbelievable from the start.”