As a new crop of celebrities take to the ice on Sunday night, Dancing on Ice co-host Holly Willoughby has given her tip for the top...
Dancing on Ice 2021 begins on Sunday and co-host Holly Willoughby has already given her verdict on the celebrity she thinks will skate to victory.
During an online webinar to mark the launch of Dancing on Ice on ITV this weekend, the show’s Ice Panellists, ice-dancing legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, refused to divulge which of this year’s celebs they thought would win the contest.
Holly Willoughby, however, couldn’t wait to nail her colours to the mast and told reporters watching the session: "I’m gonna say Myleene! I think she’s got musicality, because obviously she’s a musician, she’s a performer anyway, and I think she’s gonna fall in love with it. That’s my little insider tip!"
Holly reckons viewers need Dancing on Ice in their lives more than ever this year.
"It’s January, it’s been rubbish, it’s been horrible and we need a bit of escapism," she said. "It’s really tricky trying to find things to watch as a family so, as a parent, I’m really grateful for this show coming back because it is proper family viewing that everybody can sit down and enjoy together.
"This year, making this show has come with challenges and ones that the team have seen off at every point; they’ve done it and it’s quite remarkable actually. We’re always proud of our team - but this year more than ever."
On Sunday night, the first six celebrity skaters will take to the ice for the first time. They are Neighbours legend Jason Donovan, Emmerdale actor Joe-Warren Plant, West End star Denise Van Outen, rapper Lady Leshurr, media personality Rebekah Vardy and actor and comedian Rufus Hound, stepping in for former Olympic skier Graham Bell, who will now perform next week after his pro-partner, Yebin Mok, was injured during a "freak accident" in training.
In order to comply with Covid-secure measures, hosts Holly and Phillip will stand two metres apart and the Ice Panel of John Barrowman, Ashley Banjo and, of course, Torvill and Dean will be separated by Perspex screens.
Chris explained. "I came over last September to start working with Jayne because we knew, come the start of the series, we can’t touch each other ever again, at least until the end of the series.
"So we have to have our two metre separation or at least a screen separating us and we have to talk through masks when we’re off-camera. So, for us, just like everybody else, it’s completely different.
"But it’s so surreal that I can’t touch Jane or skate with her but we have pre-recorded two or three numbers that will be going into the show. So we WILL be skating."
Dancing on Ice returns on Sunday January 16 at 6pm on BBC1.
