Dancing on Ice

Dancing on Ice is a British reality show in which celebrities perform on an ice rink alongside professional figure skaters. The project is structured as a competition and has enjoyed excellent TV ratings. In this article, we will take a detailed look at its history, concept, participants and judges.

Basic information about the show

The show Skating on Ice aired on ITV. Throughout the season, participants learn and perform various choreographed routines on ice, demonstrating their progress and skill to the judges and viewers. The jury consists of well-known personalities, including not only athletes but also artists.

Season 17 was the final season, and ITV/STV currently has no plans to continue the project in 2026.

History of the show

Dancing on Ice aired on British television from 2006 to 2014 and from 2018 to 2025. Its original title was Skating with Celebrities.

In 2006, the show ranked third in the ratings on British TV, with the final episode of the first season watched by around 13 million people.

The creative directors of the project were Olympic Games winners Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean, who helped train the participants and performed in many shows.

After the ninth series, the Olympic champions announced that they were leaving the project.

In 2017, the show returned to television screens, with Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby chosen as hosts.

In 2020, John Barrowman replaced Jason Gardiner as a judge, but in 2021 it was announced that he would not be returning to the judging panel.

In 2024, the 16th season of the show was released.

After Schofield's departure from ITV in 2023, Stephen Mulhern became the co-host.

In 2025, the 17th season of the show was presented, presumably the final one in the long history of the television project.

Format

Every week, celebrities and their partners, who are professional figure skaters, perform a dance routine on the ice rink. A panel of judges consisting of 4/5 members (starting with the 8th season), known as the ‘Ice Commission,’ awards scores for each performance on a scale of 0 to 10 (in seasons 1-5, on a scale of 0 to 6). Based on the results of all performances, a leaderboard is formed, which, along with the results of the audience vote, determines the two pairs with the lowest scores. A pair that is rated low by the judges does not always end up last if the audience votes for them.

After the voting results are tallied, the three pairs that finished last enter into a final showdown called the ‘Skate Off,’ performing another routine known as the Save-Me Skate. Unlike the main routines, this routine can be performed a second time if the pair participates in the Skate Off again. The judges decide who will advance to the next round by voting for those who, in their opinion, performed better. One couple leaves the project each week, but in season 7, due to numbering issues, two couples left in one week. A similar situation occurred in seasons 10, 11 and 14.

Seven days after the end of each season, a live reunion was held, during which all the celebrities shared their impressions of participating in the project and answered questions from viewers in the studio.

From seasons 1 to 8, participants had to perform a specific element as part of their programmes. In season 9, this requirement was cancelled, as it was an ‘All-Star’ season. The rule was reinstated in season 10, which was called ‘The Jury Challenge’.

It is also worth mentioning the criteria for selecting participants for the show:

1. At the time of application, potential participants must be of legal age.
2. Only British citizens can take part in the project.
3. Potential participants must be ready to go to auditions and be mentally and physically prepared to perform on ice.

Another important criterion was that participants in the show must not have a criminal record.

Where is Dancing on Ice filmed?

Since 2018, Dancing on Ice has been filmed at a specially constructed set at Bovingdon Airfield near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.

Where can I watch Dancing on Ice?

The show was available to watch on the ITVX streaming service, as well as on ITV.

How to apply for Dancing on Ice?

Applications to participate in the show were submitted on the official website by filling out a special form, which required the following information:

• name;
• date of birth;
• age;
• gender;
• address;
• telephone number.

Applications containing inaccurate information were rejected. A short video showcasing the applicant's talent had to be attached to the application form.

Voting app

Viewers could vote for their favourites to save them from elimination via the app. In addition, votes could be cast on the show's official website after registering. There was no charge for voting on the website.

Participants

The participants in the projects included people from a wide variety of fields: actors, comedians, athletes, and TV presenters. People with virtually no skating experience were paired with professional figure skaters. They gradually mastered the elements, demonstrating to the public not only their skating skills but also their artistry.

The most interesting participants in Dancing on Ice

Let's say a few words about the most memorable participants of Dancing on Ice:

Nile Wilson and Olivia Smart won the 15th season of the show in 2023. The Olympic gymnast performed with his professional partner, winning over the judges and viewers watching the performances on television with their votes with their dancing on ice.

Regan Gascoigne and Karina Manta — won the 14th season of the show in 2022.

Siva Kaneswaran, leader of the band The Wanted, and Klabera Komini.

Michelle Heaton, former member of the pop group Liberty X, and Łukasz Różycki.

Darren Harriott, stand-up comedian, and Tippy Packard;

Joey Essex, star of the reality show The Only Way Is Essex, and Vanessa Bauer.

The Vivienne, winner of Ru Paul's Drag Race UK, and Colin Grafton.

Joe Swash (skated with Alex Murphy). Winner of the 2020 season of Dancing on Ice, he was very popular with viewers thanks to his cheerful reactions to the challenges.

Gaynor Faye (skated with Daniel J Whiston). Won the first season of Dancing on Ice, setting the bar for other celebrities with her performances.

Suzzane Shaw. Winner of the third season of Dancing on Ice paired with Matt Evers, returning to the show for the all-stars season but finishing in ninth place.

Winners

The table of winners for all seasons shows who was recognised as the best among all participants in the project.

Judges

Famous people serve on the Dancing on Ice judging panel. Over the years, the following individuals have judged the contestants:

1. Robin Cousins
2. Karen Barber
3. Jason Gardiner
4. Nicky Slater
5. Karen Kresge
6. Ruthie Henshall
7. Natalia Bestemianova
8. Emma Bunton
9. Katarina Witt
10. Louie Spence
11. Ashley Roberts
12. Jayne Torvill
13. Christopher Dean
14. Ashley Banjo
15. John Barrowman
16. Oti Mabuse

Dancing on Ice 2025

Dancing on Ice 2025 kicked off on ITV1 and ITVX. The show was hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern. Celebrities Jane Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo were selected as judges. As part of the project, whose concept has remained virtually unchanged over the years, professional figure skaters performed choreographed routines on ice alongside amateurs.

Twelve celebrity couples took to the ice, aiming to impress the judges and viewers.

In the 2025 season, for example, the following performed

• TV presenter Ferne McCann.
• Star of the series ‘The Traitors’ Molly Pierce.
• Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave.
• Actress from the series ‘Eastenders’ Charlie Brooks.
• Footballer and sports expert Anton Ferdinand.
• Comedian Josh Jones.
• Actress Chelsea Haley.
• Actor Dan Edgar.
• Actor Chris Taylor.

Final

Sam Aston and Molly Lanaghan won the 2025 season. The final episode of the show aired on 9 March. Michaela Strachan and Mark Hanretty took silver, while Anton Ferdinand and Annette Dytrt took bronze.

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