Dancing On Ice could be axed by ITV after suffering a new ratings low for last night’s opening episode for the 2025 series.
Just 2.9 million tuned in to the 90 minute episode, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern. In its prime, DOI was watched by more than 7 million, putting it on par with BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.
But figures released today show a stark decline in the ITV1 competition’s popularity. In comparison, 3.4million people watched the first episode of last year’s series.
The 2025 celebrity lineup has failed to excite viewers, with celebrities including Michaela Strachan and Love Island’s Chris Taylor among the most recognisable names.
The poor ratings provide another dent in host Holly Willoughby’s popularity. In 2023, she stepped down from ‘This Morning’ after months of bad press and backlash following Phillip Schofield’s controversial exit from the channel.
ITV are still deciding whether to commission rebooted gameshow You Bet! for a full series, after Mulhern and Willoughby hosted a number of specials which aired over Christmas.
If You Bet! and Dancing On Ice are both ditched by ITV, it could potentially see Holly Willoughby leave the channel altogether. She’ll be hoping her new celebrity challenge series ‘Celebrity Bear Hunt’ which she fronts with Bear Grylls will fare better when it comes to Netflix next month.
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