Dancing on Ice is set to disappear from our screens after it was revealed by the Mirror that ITV will not be bringing back the show for its 20th anniversary next year.
With the popular series coming to a close after a 19-year stint, Holly Willoughby finds herself without any ITV projects for the first time since her 2004 debut on CITV's Ministry of Mayhem.
ITV chiefs have confirmed the end of the show, which premiered in 2006, due to a steep drop in viewership, with less than 3 million tuning in for the finale of the last series. Ice skating legends and judges Torvill and Dean are also bowing out following the final leg of their tour in May, reports the Mirror.
The most recent series concluded with Coronation Street's Sam Aston triumphing, drawing just 2.7 million viewers - a significant fall from its heyday when an estimated 12 million people watched the show.
An ITV representative told the Mirror: "Following another successful series earlier this year, Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the cast and crew who have worked on the show since 2006, and over the previous 17 series, for all of their hard work both on and off the ice."
In the meantime, the set of the beloved programme is reportedly being taken down and stashed away in long-term storage as part of the decision to draw the curtain on the show.
Christopher Dean has hinted at the end of an era, revealing that after their Our Last Dance tour concludes in Nottingham, he and Jayne Torvill will retire as a skating duo.
He shared his sentiments, saying: "After the tour finishes in Nottingham, we'll be hanging up the skates as Torvill and Dean. Will it be a sad moment? Of course!"
Reflecting on their illustrious career, he added: "We climbed up the mountain, saw the beautiful views, won a few medals and we're able to bow out on our terms. The journey feels complete."
This comes amid whispers from show insiders who view the dismantling of the set as the "final nail in the coffin."
"At this stage bosses are normally approaching celebs and auditioning them - but there's nothing, and with the set being dismantled, this can't be a good sign," a source told The Sun.
The speculation follows reports from channel sources speaking to the Mirror about the potential cancellation of the Sunday night staple due to plummeting ratings.
Despite its former glory days of attracting 12 million viewers, executives believe the show must draw a massive audience to warrant its substantial production costs.
An insider lamented: "It's had a good run for nearly 20 years and has a very loyal set of viewers who really love it but the sad truth is there's just not enough of them - the ratings have dropped to a point where it's difficult to justify the cost."
Last year, the show recorded its smallest live audience ever when only 2.9 million tuned in to one episode, a decrease of 700,000 from the 3.6 million who had watched the opener a few weeks earlier. This year, the show started with 2.9 million viewers but then dropped to 2.4 million.
Many of the 12 celebrity contestants earn six-figure sums due to the months of intense training required to prepare them for performances on the ice. ITV also pays substantial fees to presenters Holly and Stephen, the 12 professional ice-skaters, and four judges - including ice-skating legends Torvill and Dean, former Strictly star Oti Mabuse, and dance expert Ashley Banjo.
The network also has to maintain the purpose-built studio rink at Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire.
Another issue for the show is that female celebrities seem unable to win regardless of their skill on the ice. This year's favourite from the first show was Michaela Strachan, who could have been the first woman to win since gymnast Beth Tweddle in 2013. However, in the final, more votes went to Corrie star Sam Aston, who plays the beloved Chesney.
The show first hit screens in 2006, but initially ended after its ninth series in 2014. At the time, Torvill and Dean announced their decision to leave the show "on a high" following the 30th anniversary of their Bolero victory.
"I think there comes a time when you know we're not spring chickens any more," Christopher previously explained. "We're still able to do it, to a certain degree we feel good about it, but that will go."
Four years later, the show was revived, with Torvill and Dean shifting from their mentor roles to join the judging panel, where they remain to this day.
Holly initially hosted the show alongside Phillip Schofield from 2006 to 2011, when she departed to present The Voice on BBC1. She was subsequently replaced by Christine Lampard for three years. However, Holly returned to the show when it was revived in 2018 after a four-year hiatus.
Dancing on Ice is available to stream on ITVX
English (United States) ·