Dancing On Ice will apparently have a “uncertain future” on ITV.
The long-running celebrity figure skating tournament is now in its 16th season, having begun in 2006 with Coronation Street’s Gaynor Faye winning the trophy.
It’s uncertain what the show’s future holds as viewership plummet and Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean decide to retire from skating.
The renowned couple, who announced their retirement on the 40th anniversary of their Winter Olympics victory in Sarajevo, are anticipated to continue appearing on the show.
However, viewership has decreased, with the January 28 episode drawing only 2.9 million people, about nine million fewer than the show’s peak.
With many of the celebrity candidates earning six-figure salaries for the show, cost might be a significant consideration, especially when considering the judges, the 12 professional skaters, and new presenting pair Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern.
According to reports, next year’s series might be Torvill and Dean’s ‘one last hurrah’ before embarking on their farewell UK tour.
An insider told the Mirror: ‘Dancing on Ice faces an uncertain future. The ratings are low for a big weekend show and without Torvill and Dean putting in their performances this could be the end of the road. It is an incredibly expensive show to make.
‘It only works if it gets a big audience.’
ITV has reiterated that Dancing On Ice remains ‘popular’ with viewers, while stating that no decision on the show’s future would be made until the current season concludes.
A Dancing On Ice spokesperson said: ‘We never take a decision on future series until the end of the current one but Dancing on Ice remains a popular entertainment format for us having launched with 4.2million viewers.’
Despite concerns over the programme’s future, Torvill and Dean have maintained they have ‘no intentions’ to walk down from the show, which they judge alongside Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo.
In a joint statement shared to the PA news agency, they said: ‘Our 2025 “retirement” – which will follow our UK tour – will purely be from ice skating.
‘As we said in Sarajevo earlier this week, we will continue to work together away from the ice.
‘We have no plans to step back from Dancing On Ice and hope that the series continues for years to come.’
Dancing on Ice continues on Sunday at 6.30pm on ITV and ITVX.
