Holly Willoughby back on TV screens with Dancing On Ice
By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Holly Willoughby will return to TV screens after three months off for Dancing On Ice.
The 42-year-old presenter, who left This Morning in October to spend time with her family after 14 years on the sofa, will host the latest series of the ITV show with Stephen Mulhern on Sunday at 6.30pm.
She had briefly hosted the skating competition with Mulhern, 46, in 2022 after Philip Schofield tested positive for Covid-19.
Schofield and Willoughby had anchored the series from 2006 until the 61-year-old presenter departed ITV last year over a relationship with a young man while on This Morning.
The split premiere of Dancing On Ice will see six celebrities take to the ice for the live show.
Contestants S Club 7 star Hannah Spearritt, former Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, Emmerdale actress Roxy Shahidi, Love Island and West End star Amber Davies, former boxer Ricky Hatton and Olympian Greg Rutherford are all set to perform on Sunday.
Spearritt will skate to Ariana Grande’s Break Free with professional Andy Buchanan while Thomas and partner Amani Fancy opted for kicking things off with Kings of Leon’s Sex On Fire.
Meanwhile, Shahidi went for You Don’t Own Me by Say Grace while Davies and skater Simon Senecal will perform to Hold On To Now by Kylie Minogue.
Hatton has gone for a Rocky movie reference with his partner Robin Johnstone as he opted for Gonna Fly Now by Bill Conti and Rutherford and Vanessa James are going to perform to Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now.
The new line-up with Willoughby and Mulhern was confirmed at the end of last year.
The pair first worked together decades ago on ITV Saturday morning children’s show Ministry Of Mayhem, which later became Holly & Stephen’s Saturday Showdown.
Back to judge Dancing On Ice are Olympic ice skating duo Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Diversity dance troupe leader Ashley Banjo and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse.
Next week, will see radio presenter Adele Roberts, EastEnders star Ricky Norwood, actress Claire Sweeney, TV personality Miles Nazaire, comedian and writer Lou Sanders and ski jumper Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards take to the ice for the first time for the series.
Last year, Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson, who was paired with professional skater Olivia Smart, was crowned Dancing On Ice champion after beating reality star Joey Essex and Vanessa Bauer to first place.
Dancing On Ice returns on Sunday at 6.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.