Dancing On Ice may face cancellation shortly after Corrie actor Sam Aston is crowned the 2025 champion, with the show experiencing a significant decline in viewership. Hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, the ITV series has lost over a million viewers over the past two years, prompting staff to be informed that the “tired” program, which first aired in 2006, is likely to be discontinued.
This development follows reports that Holly Willoughby declined a lucrative offer from ITV to host a new series of You Bet! after gaining international attention from Celebrity Bear Hunt. According to The Sun, Dancing On Ice could be temporarily paused and potentially revamped for a later relaunch, reminiscent of the 2014 cancellation and the subsequent return in 2018.
An anonymous source stated: “While the launch show still attracted nearly three million viewers, it’s undeniable that the format has grown stale, and the program is no longer drawing the high-profile celebrities it once did. Changes are expected, but it’s likely the show will be rested and reintroduced with a fresh approach. However, staff are not optimistic about its future.”
The future of Dancing On Ice now depends on the discussions following last night’s season finale. As an expensive production, there are growing concerns over whether ITV is receiving sufficient return on investment.
MailOnline has reached out to representatives for Dancing On Ice for comment.
Last week, a source told The Mirror: “There are very real concerns that this could be the end of the road for Dancing On Ice. It has enjoyed a successful run of nearly 20 years with a loyal fanbase, but the unfortunate reality is that there simply aren’t enough viewers left. We need higher ratings, but the numbers have dropped so significantly that justifying the cost is becoming increasingly difficult.”
The uncertainty surrounding the future of Dancing On Ice intensified prior to this series after head judges Torvill and Dean announced they were ready to retire and performed their final routine on Sunday.
An ITV spokesperson commented: “The Dancing On Ice team is fully focused on the highly anticipated series finale this coming Sunday, and as such, no decisions have been made regarding the show’s future.”
In the meantime, ITV sources revealed that Holly Willoughby, who co-hosted a two-part special of the game show last year, is “busy with other commitments” and will not be returning. While the nature of these commitments remains unclear, it is noted that she recently gained global recognition for her role in Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt, marking her first major project outside of ITV.#newsafro_
