18 January 2024 , 16:20
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The greatest show on ice has slid onto our screens with a bang last weekend for its 15th series.
The show, which started in 2006, has become one of the most popular talent shows on TV. This year Amber Davies, Ricky Hatton, Claire Sweeney, Hannah Spearritt, Miles Nzaire, Greg Rutherford, Lou Sanders, Ricky Norwood, Adele Roberts, Roxy Shahidi, Ryan Thomas, and Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards, will see if they have what it takes to impress the judges on the ice.
But as the celebs put on their sparkly outfits and limber up, it's about the judging panel comprising Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo. Holly Willoughby is back presenting Dancing On Ice after taking a step back from showbiz last year and is joined by comedian and TV presenter Stephen Mulhern.
While the show never fails to bring entertainment to families every year, the household name was originally planned to be called something completely different.
ITV were hoping to piggyback off the success of Strictly Come Dancing with the show, and when the BBC confirmed it would be making a Strictly on Ice Christmas special, ITV executives thought to make a similar show into an entire series. Originally, the new show was set to be called Stars On Thin Ice.
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Two weeks before it was due to air, bosses made a last-minute decision to change the name to Dancing On Ice - the rest is history. While there were doubts about the show being aired in January time, it instantly became a hit - raking in 13 million views for the very first Dancing On Ice final.
However, in 2013, Olympic icons Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean announced they would leave the show after its ninth series in 2014 which subsequently led to the show being axed. It had a revamp and came back to our screens in 2017 and has been successful since.
Hamish Gaman and Caprice Bourret on Dancing On Ice in 2019 (2019 Karwai Tang)There are a number of behind-the-scenes secrets about Dancing On Ice which have helped ensure the show runs smoothly for a decade and a half. While Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern do not wear ice skates for the show, there are measurements in place so the pair don't fall.
To make sure the pair stay upright while presenting the show, a carpet is rolled across the area they will be walking to prevent any awkward mishaps. Holly still manages to keep her high heels on throughout the show, but she still has to shuffle carefully across the ice.
To also avoid injury, ice skaters are banned from moisturising before taking to the ice to avoid slipping from each other's hold. The couples have to grip onto each other to avoid any accidents which could potentially end in serious injuries, but this is avoided by the dancers applying a sticky spray onto their hands.
Dancing On Ice is back on our screen on Sunday, January 21, from 6.30pm.