Sam Aston, best recognised for his role as Chesney Brown on Coronation Street, along with skating partner Molly Lanaghan, claimed the Dancing On Ice crown this year.
The 31 year old actor skated past favourites to win the ITV show, edging out bookies' top choice Michaela Strachan to secure victory in a thrilling finale which saw him compete against Spring Watch's Strachan and ex-footballer Anton Ferdinand, who finished in second and third place respectively.
The trio commenced the finals on high notes, securing perfect scores from the judges for their initial performances. Following the Bolero, Aston captured viewers' hearts and votes with his emotional response after clinching the trophy.
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Overwhelmed, Sam said: "I've got no words, I'm shocked," while embracing a joyful celebration with Lanaghan. Prior to winning, he expressed his surprise at his own success, stating: "I have surprised myself a bit on here. It has been a whirlwind but a really lovely journey to be on."
He also reflected on his experience, saying: "What I'll take away from the show the most is it is good to challenge yourself in life. If you put your heart and soul into it, anything is possible."
Aston had nothing but praises for his companion Molly, commenting: "We have had a laugh from start to finish.", reports the Mirror.
Michaela Strachan, despite coming runner-up, felt victorious, remarking: "I feel a winner to have got this far. It has been such a bubble of skating joy. I hope I have inspired people of a certain age to try something new."
Amidst the competition, Aston displayed admirable determination, participating in the final despite having to undergo physio for a dislocated shoulder sustained earlier in the series.
He shared: "I've really enjoyed the journey. It's mad cos it's, you know, it's just a roller coaster, but I've absolutely loved it and you know, I think it's, it's really nice to just push yourself out of your comfort zone, you know, challenge yourself."
He had previously committed to giving his all in the final, saying last week: "I always want to learn new stuff, 100%. Actually I say that to my partner regularly. I'm like, 'right, what can we do next?' The main thing is you have to get the choreography as tight as possible before you can start concentrating on new things or big lifts.
"But I feel quite fearless about learning new things, the more the merrier for me. Dan, who helps us with our choreography, always says 'aim for the stars', so that's what we do!" The finale was also graced by an ice performance from Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, which might be their swansong on television as they consider hanging up their skates after this year's arena tour. Following Sam's triumph, his colleagues were quick to celebrate on social media.
Tony Maudsley wrote: "He only went and won it! ! Massive congratulations to our boy Sam! The Corrie Actors WhatsApp group is on FIRE tonight. We're all so proud of him! Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke! ! BRAVO SAM! !" Ryan Thomas also expressed his delight, commenting: "This makes me so happy."
Over the last couple of years, ITV's Dancing on Ice has seen a significant drop in viewership, with more than one million tuning out since 2021. The 2023 series opener attracted just 4.1 million viewers, and subsequent episodes haven't surpassed the 3 million mark, as per BARB's official overnight figures.
ITV bosses are concerned that without a substantial audience, the high production costs can't be justified. An insider shared: "There are very real fears this is the end of the road for Dancing on Ice. 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. We need bums on seats but the ratings have dropped to a point where it's difficult to justify the cost."
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