Dancing On Ice confirms show judging line up – but STILL hasn’t confirmed Holly Willoughby’s comeback as host
DANCING On Ice’s judging line-up has been confirmed ahead of the latest series.
Ice skating superstars Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are back alongside Ashley Banjo and Oti Mabuse, who is pregnant with her first child.
But despite just weeks until the show kicks off in January, the hosts are yet to be confirmed.
In previous years, Dancing on Ice has been fronted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield but he quit both the talent competition and This Morning after it was revealed he had an affair with a much younger male ITV employee.
Not long after Phil’s departure Holly, 42, also made the decision to quit the show after 14 years and she’s yet to say if she’s returning.
Sources previously said she would be back on screens in January, but fans are starting to question if it will really happen.
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The pair had hosted Dancing on Ice on and off since it launched in 2006. Christine Lampard took over for three seasons, before Holly and Phillip took over again in 2018.
Several big names have been tipped as potential replacements for Phillip on Dancing On Ice, including Stephen Mulhern, who has hosted in his absence in the past.
Stephen has fronted the show before with Holly when Phil had to take the week off due to catching Covid.
A source recently told MailOnline that ITV bosses are working around the clock to lock in co-hosts for the series and they are still hoping Holly will return.
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They said: “Bosses hope they can convince her to come back to work in the new year because they feel the relationship between her and Stephen is exactly what the series needs.
“The situation is extremely sensitive due to everything that Holly has gone through in recent months and the channel is being careful not to put pressure on her decision, although they are hoping that renegotiating her contract will help to close the deal.
“Time is running out now given photoshoots need to happen, plus it won’t be long until the show needs to start promoting the new series.”
The cast for the upcoming series was recently revealed in full, and includes Olympian Greg Rutherford, Coronation Street star Claire Sweeney and Love Island legend Amber Davies.
Despite the uncertainty, Holly is still odds on to make a spectacular return to TV, according to Ladbrokes.
The veteran presenter is just 4/6 to join Stephen Mulhern at the helm of the popular ITV skating show.
Meanwhile, Amber Davies is the 3/1 favourite to win this year’s competition, ahead of Mile Nazaire at 4/1. Claire Sweeney is the 25/1 outsider.
Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “It seems ITV bosses are doing everything they can to get Holly back on our screens and the latest odds suggest they could succeed in time for Dancing On Ice.”
