Dancing on Ice has seen its fair share of drama over the years, with a number of celebrities and professional skaters suffering some pretty nasty injuries on the ice
Dancing on Ice enthusiasts have seen it all – from dramatic tiffs and horrific injuries to unforgettable TV moments since the show first glided onto ITV in 2006. The celebrity line-up braving the rink this year boasts names like Ferne McCann, Sir Steve Redgrave, and Michaela Strachan. With the new series now underway, let’s skate down memory lane to revisit some of the most jaw-dropping incidents involving the stars and their professional partners over the years.
Phillip Schofield was at the helm with Holly Willoughby from the very start until his departure in May 2023. The beloved former This Morning presenter stepped away from his ITV roles following his admission of an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague. Phillip, who is now 62, passed the baton to Stephen Mulhern, who last year took to the ice alongside Holly. The pair are set to return to our screens as hosts when Dancing on Ice returns in February.
But it hasn’t always been graceful pirouettes and perfect scores for the celebs. Take Greg Rutherford, the British Olympian, who at 38 years old, was gearing up for the grand finale with his pro partner Vanessa James when calamity struck, reports the Mirror.
A horrific accident saw him rushed to the hospital after his own skate blade sliced open his stomach, leading to a severe abdominal tear. While recuperating in the hospital, he shared with his Instagram fans: “I effectively gave myself a C-section.”
Dancing on Ice has witnessed some of the most shocking injuries over the years, with one spine-chilling incident in 2012 when Jennifer Ellison accidentally cut her head open with a scorpion kick mid-performance – paramedics hurried to stop the blood that was streaming down from her injury. In a terrifying rehearsal mishap in 2021, Rebekah Vardy’s skate struck her partner Andy Buchanan’s face, which sent him straight to A&E requiring immediate medical attention.
Post-accident, Rebekah expressed the fear she felt, admitting: “It was quite scary. But it brings back the realisation that what we’re doing is really bl**dy dangerous.”
Cast your minds back to the very first series, and who could forget when David Seaman’s risky headbanger move with Pam O’Connor went awry? She took a nasty tumble and split her chin, needing hospital stitches but bravely returned to the rink with David later in the competition. That dangerous stunt, by the way, has since been banned from the show.
Plus, let’s not forget the drama off the ice – like the time during the 2019 series when TOWIE queen Gemma Collins had enough of Jason Gardiner’s sharp tongue. After he slammed her performance for lacking grace, Gemma fired back, accusing the judge of selling stories about her to the media.
Reality TV truly never disappoints with its mix of thrills and spills! After criticising her performance, he added: “She came out and did what can only be described as one of the most painful routines I’ve ever had to sit through because it looked so uncomfortable.”
The drama didn’t stop there, with an awkward buzz ahead of the 2020 series when whispers began that Love Island’s Maura Higgins had ‘snatched’ Amber Gill’s spot on the show. Despite being tipped early on for the 2020 lineup, it was Maura who graced the ice.
Amber cleared the air with The Sun, saying: “I didn’t realise I had a place to lose, to be honest.” Maura addressed the rumours head-on at The Mirror’s Animal Hero Awards, telling us: “I mean, I know a lot of people went for castings for the show, but I was lucky enough to get it.”
In another twist during the same series, Caprice Bourret dramatically changed partners, leaving Hamish Gaman behind after alleging bullying, only to later exit the competition entirely. Her representative confirmed to the Daily Mail: “It’s true that Caprice is no longer participating in Dancing On Ice. It’s been a hard few months and she’s had to keep silent for contractual reasons. Her mental wellbeing has been affected over the last two months and recent stories leaked to the press are not only salacious but extremely hurtful. Now she’s taking some time to recover and look after herself and her family.”
Dancing on Ice has certainly sparked its fair share of romance whispers. In 2023, TOWIE favourite Joey Essex had fans squirming when he seemed to go in for a smooch with his pro partner Vanessa Bauer after their High School Musical performance – only for her to dodge it and look taken aback just before the judges piped up with their critiques.
It’s a moment that’s sure to be etched in Dancing on Ice lore, similar to the memorable split between Love Island star Megan Barton Hanson and Wes Nelson post his 2019 stint on the ice. The rumour mill went into overdrive when Vanessa aired news of her own breakup right around Wes’ first show dance, leaving Megan to suggest the timing was all a “tactical” play for press – only to later confess she’d been battling the green-eyed monster.
Mere fortnights after Megan’s flare-up, it was curtains for her and Wes.
Not to be overshadowed, Loose Women’s Denise Welch and then-hubby Tim Healy turned heads during the 2011 series. When judge Jason slammed Denise’s performance as “abysmal,” Tim bolted up, ready to take him on – leading to Denise’s frantic pleas for him to take a seat amidst the on-air chaos.