ITV bosses recently confirmed that Dancing On Ice, which first aired in 2006, is to end after viewing figures dwindled to below 3million for the last series
The end of Dancing On Ice will most likely be a ‘huge blow’ for one-half of the show’s presenters, Stephen Mulhern, after he struggled with a difficult year. The ITV show being axed comes after he was rushed to the hospital over a health scare and after the death of his father Christopher.
ITV bosses have confirmed that the show, which first aired in 2006, is to end after viewing figures dwindled to below 3million for the last series. The most recent final, won by Coronation Street star Sam Aston managed to pull in just 2.7 million viewers – a staggering decline from the viewing figures it once had with an estimated 12 million tuning in during previous years.
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The series was fronted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield before Stephen took over from him when the presenter quit his roles at ITV following his bombshell affair admission.
Stephen wasn’t host for long before ITV announced they had no plans to continue the series.
PR expert Lynn Carratt has claimed Stephen will be most impacted from the show’s cancellation, which saw judges Torvill and Dean have previously announcing they are hanging up their skates after the final dates of their tour in May.
“Stephen Mulhern has had a challenging year, and losing Dancing on Ice will be a huge blow to him, but he has other ITV projects in the pipeline and will be back on screens shortly with Celebrity Catchphrase…” she said on behalf of Prime Casino.
Speaking of the cancellation, an ITV spokesperson said: “Following another successful series earlier this year, Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the cast and crew who have worked on the show since 2006, and over the previous 17 series, for all of their hard work both on and off the ice.”
Stephen had a tough year following the death of his father, Christopher. He was forced to pull out of work with Butlin’s holiday parks after the tragic death.
In November, he also sparked concern when he collapsed while dining at a Pizza Express restaurant. It was believed he reacted to an anaesthetic he had for an operation he underwent that day.
Meanwhile, DOI insiders told the Mirror that the show was set to be dropped after receiving low ratings.
One insider explained: “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 – the ratings have dropped to a point where it’s difficult to justify the cost.”
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