Dancing on Ice

“Dancing on Ice” is a British TV program hosted by Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley, where celebrities pair up with professional skaters to perform routines in front of a judging panel. Created by LWT and Granada Television, the show has enjoyed prime-time success in eight countries, including Italy and Chile. In Australia, it was known as “Torvill and Dean’s Dancing on Ice” but was canceled after one season due to high production costs.

Initially called “Skating with Celebrities,” the show was rebranded after ITV’s celebrity-focused summer lineup in 2005 flopped. “Dancing on Ice” is often likened to the BBC’s “Strictly Come Dancing.” In 2004, the BBC aired a special called “Strictly Ice Dancing” during Christmas, which was won by England’s goalkeeper David Seaman.

ITV launched “Dancing on Ice” in January, despite network skepticism about its potential success. It turned out to be a surprise hit in the UK, becoming the third most-watched TV show of 2006, with the finale in March drawing in thirteen million viewers. Renowned ice-skating champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean train the contestants and provide feedback throughout the show. Head Coach Karen Barber also prepares the skaters for their live performances. Torvill and Dean traditionally open each episode with a performance, except for a few episodes in the fourth series when Dean was recovering from shoulder surgery. In 2012, their appearances became less frequent.