Holly Willoughby described Cilla Black as "an icon".
'Surprise Surprise' host Holly Willoughby - who will present a one-off special of the show on Thursday (03.03.14) - has described the programme's originally star as "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."
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