Stephen Mulhern says he and Holly Willoughby 'always wished' they'd host DOI

11 February 2024 , 07:00

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Stephen Mulhern now presents Dancing on Ice alongside old pal Holly Willoughby (Image: Kieron McCarron/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Stephen Mulhern has arguably stepped into his glitziest role yet, hosting Dancing On Ice alongside long-time pal Holly Willoughby.

It’s a full-circle moment for Stephen, 46, and Holly, 43, as they both rose to prominence in the
early noughties with children’s show Saturday Showdown.

As he chats to Love Sunday at The Toy Fair in London, Stephen, who also fronts the quiz show Deal Or No Deal, appears to have settled into the prime-time programme well. “I love it, especially as it’s so new and exciting for me,” the popular presenter tells us, saying it was “meant to be”.

Here, Stephen shares his thoughts on the celebrity competition, opens up on his friendship with Holly and tells us why he’s hoping for some tumbles on the ice.

Stephen Mulhern has arguably stepped into his glitziest role yet, hosting Dancing On Ice alongside long-time pal Holly Willoughby Stephen Mulhern (Getty Images)

Stephen also fronts the quiz show Deal Or No Deal (Jeff Spicer - Getty Images)

Hi, Stephen! How is Dancing On Ice going so far?

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It’s going really well. I love it because it’s live and anything can happen. Whereas, if something goes wrong on Deal Or No Deal, for example, there are things we can do, but that’s not the case with Dancing On Ice. Although, that does make it more nerve-wracking, which is why it’s great to not only do it with a co-host but to do it with a friend. If something goes wrong from my side, I know Holly will help me out and vice versa.

What’s it like working with Holly again?

Honestly, it’s been great to see her and spend more time with her. Life is life and it’s busy, so it’s good to see her all the time. When I joined the show, Holly’s advice was just to be ourselves and because we’re friends, that comes naturally. We’ve known each other a long time, so I can work out quite easily when she’s going to say something and I’ll stop talking. It makes it so much easier when you know the person you’re hosting alongside.

Does it help that you can lean on her?

It does, it feels a lot safer. I’m really happy to finally have that double act and someone to do things with. I know she’s always got my back and I’ve got hers so that helps, especially for me going into a new show. It’s so nice to have Holly. Every weekend, I get excited to have fun.

Did you and Holly ever see yourselves getting to this place?

I think Holly and I always wished it would happen, but we didn’t know if it would. And now it has, it’s just so lovely. Obviously, Holly and I are close, and I spend a lot of time with the judges, who I love to pieces too, so I feel like it was all just meant to be. Not many people know this but when the show first started, I did the spin-off, which was called Defrosted. So, it’s all come back around.

Stephen and Holly go back years (Kieron McCarron/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

What do you think of the contestants?

My biggest surprise of Dancing On Ice so far has been Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards. I think everyone thought, “Oh, here we go, he’ll be all over the place,” but he’s really, really good. It’s so early to tell who will go all the way because there are so many contestants still in. I think Ryan Thomas is fearless, Adele Roberts blew me away with her first performance, especially with everything she had to deal with. Amber Davies has knocked my socks off too, she’s
so talented. And Miles Nazaire, I can’t choose! I feel like this year there are a lot of younger people in the cast, and they’re all really good. There are no front-runners yet, unless, of course, I go on the ice! Watch this space.

Ha! Can you skate?

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Maybe… you never know! I’d give it a go.

What are you looking forward to on DOI?

I can’t wait until somebody really falls over on the ice. I know it sounds bad, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt, but I’d love to see a... little tumble!

Which of your shows are you loving most?

I love Dancing On Ice because it’s new and fresh. It’s my first year, so it’s taken the top spot. But Deal Or No Deal is a really close second – it’s amazing and is coming back for another series this year. There’s something about that show that is magic. Former host Noel Edmonds told me that when I took over, and he was completely right. Then I’m also going to be doing Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, and In For A Penny, too – so it’s busy!

WE SPOKE TO STEPHEN AT THE 70TH ANNUAL TOY FAIR, WHERE HE REPRESENTED BIG SKY GAMES

Kenzi Devine