Phillip Schofield couldn’t stop himself from making fun of Joey Essex when he attempted to kiss Vanessa Bauer on Dancing On Ice.
Following their High School Musical routine, the presenter spoke with the reality star and his skating pro partner on Sunday’s Movie Week installment of the celebrity competition.
When the two skated to Breaking Free from the classic Disney picture, Joey emulated Zac Efron’s Troy Bolton while Vanessa channelled Vanessa Hudgens’ character Gabriella Montez.
Joey went in to kiss Vanessa at the end of their performance, but she swiftly backed away to escape the gesture and began chuckling.
‘Almost a little peck at the end there,’ Phil said after their skate, while Joey added cheekily, ‘Nearly. ‘Our first kiss on live television.’
The discussion left viewers perplexed and horrified, especially because the duo has fueled relationship rumours during their tenure on the programme.
‘Idk whats really going on with joey and Vanessa but cringing at him trying to kiss Vanessa,’ wrote one viewer as another added: ‘Joey attempting to kiss Vanessa was very cringe #dancingonice.’
A third person tweeted: ‘Joey kissing Vanessa was awkward,’ while yet another shared some crying emojis and said: ‘As if Joey just tried to kiss Vanessa and she pulled away’.
Joey was asked about the relationship rumours during a recent interview on Good Morning Britain, and he said he was ‘open’ and would willingly ‘answer’ queries.
‘I’m single, Vanessa is single, you know. We go to the ice every day, it’s cold, got to keep each other warm… do you know what I mean? So that’s it really… yeah, it’s all good,’ he said.
‘Hold on, it seems like you’re not single and she’s not single,’ GMB anchor Susanna Reid remarked. ‘It sounds like you’re both together?’
‘No comment, can’t confirm, but we’re both single right now, taking it slowly, it’s all good,’ he swiftly said, adding, ‘I am confirming nothing!’
‘Of course I do [have a soft spot], who wouldn’t?’ he added. Vanessa is lovely!’
Dancing On Ice airs Sundays at 6.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.