15 January 2024 , 10:57
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Dancing on Ice started with a bang as the show returned to our screens last night.
Now in its 15th season, the ITV series saw the return of Holly Willoughby after her three-month TV hiatus, whilst Stephen Mulhern was revealed as Phillip Schofield's replacement. The star-studded lineup includes World Champion boxer Ricky Hatton and Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts.
But as the celebs put on their sparkly outfits and limber up, professional skaters Mark Hanretty and Dan Whiston have spilt the tea on a secret most viewers will be oblivious of. It's about the judging panel comprising Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo.
If you ever wonder how the judges stay warm so close to the ice, they all have blankets on their laps hidden under the desks. "I think Oti in particular really struggles with the cold and they have blankets under the judges’ panel to stay warm," Hanretty told OK! Magazine.
“Luckily, the rink isn’t as cold as a normal rink because of the studio lighting, so it’s not as cold as people may think.” The pros also revealed that Torvill and Dean are superstitious with their guards, who go over the skates. "They like to put them next to each other and line them up in a certain way. It’s important to them," Whiston added.
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Meanwhile, fans are convinced they have already 'worked out' who will win after being wowed by their first performance. Social media users flooded to pile on praise for Ryan Thomas and his partner Amani Fancy as they topped the leaderboard with an impressive 26.5 points on opening night.
"Yes Ryan! My winner already," one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Going early with their prediction, another added: "Winner!!!! That was brilliant Ryan." The predictions didn't stop there, and another fan posted: "Ryan deserves to win already and we've only seen 6/12... he can only get better from here."