Dancing On Ice ‘makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities’: ‘Bosses have rethought the plan’

Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'

As a seasoned viewer of reality television shows, I have seen my fair share of drama and controversies, but the recent developments surrounding Dancing on Ice are truly alarming. With a career spanning decades in the entertainment industry, I can confidently say that the welfare of contestants should always be a top priority for any production.

The popular show, Dancing on Ice, has reorganized its format significantly in order to minimize any potential discomfort for the celebrity participants.

According to The Sun’s reports, ITV officials have altered the dance-off rule such that stars who end up in the bottom two won’t need to perform a fresh dance routine anymore.

Normally, celebrities were required not just to master a weekly performance routine, but also to choreograph a dance if they ended up in the bottom two during voting.

Currently, it seems that the stars are required to rehearse their performances from the primary competition again, since it appears that taking proper care is of the utmost importance for ITV executives.

Previously, on “Dancing on Ice,” each couple was required to prepare an additional dance number as a backup option if they found themselves among the bottom two contestants based on viewer votes.

However, this situation often required the pairs not only to master their primary routines but also group dances, and occasionally additional ones. Unfortunately, these extra dances were typically underutilized or unused in many instances.

Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'

Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'

Moving forward, the management has revised their strategy. As a result, the couples ranked at the bottom will be requested to perform the exact dance they did during the main event again.

TopMob contacted ITV representatives for a comment.  

The announcement follows disclosure that the program has established a 24-hour helpline for celebrities to voice their worries, in light of the Strictly Come Dancing bullying controversy.

The ITV program will be back on our screens in 2025, and recent reports disclose the implementation of fresh strategies aimed at curbing any instances of harassment or mistreatment.

As reported by The Sun, ITV executives have reportedly sent a six-page letter to their celebrity cast members, assuring them that they’re free to express themselves without worrying about backlash or abusive comments.

This year, like how Strictly has chaperones, the celebrities for this year will each have a designated producer to look after their welfare.

According to a source, ITV ensures the well-being of their show participants is their top priority. They don’t think there’s a need for another ‘Strictly,’ and the ‘Dancing on Ice’ producers want their stars to feel comfortable voicing concerns if something seems off.

They can contact a round-the-clock helpline, staffed by experts, for addressing issues related to bullying or seeking assistance with mental health matters.

Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'
Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'
Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'

They were additionally provided with a note detailing the show’s expectations and guidelines for their behavior.

According to reports, the letter acquired by the publication advises celebrities participating in the program that their involvement might lead to feelings of exhaustion, both physically and mentally.

It also warns stars about conduct with their professional skating partners, adding: ‘Winning should never come at the expense of integrity and respect.’

TopMob has contacted representatives for Dancing On Ice for comment. 

These actions are a response to the controversy that surrounded Strictly Come Dancing, BBC’s competitor to Dancing On Ice, during its 20th anniversary year. This controversy arose after actress Amanda Abbington abruptly left the show in October and accused her partner Giovanni Pernice of abuse. However, he was later found not guilty of ten out of sixteen allegations against him.

The show experienced another round of controversy in July when Graziano Di Prima was fired for allegedly physically abusing his partner, Zara McDermott, who is a popular figure on Love Island.

This year, Michael Barrymore, a previous participant on Dancing On Ice, made allegations against the producers of ITV, claiming they had behaved inappropriately.

Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'

Today, the retired television personality, aged 72, launched a fiery critique on social media platforms, triggering a rebuttal from ITV. The network dismissed his unproven allegations as they emphasized that the well-being of their program’s performers is their utmost concern.

On X, Barrymore expressed her astonishment that BBC’s #Strictly is the only one facing criticism this week, while ITV’s Dancing on Ice allegedly mistreated their celebrities and dancers in similar or even worse ways. I myself have encountered producer abuse during my brief time with ITV… (paraphrased)

But ITV hit back and insisted its stars were looked after while taking part in the programme.

In response to Barrymore’s statements, an ITV representative informed TopMob: “We refute these unproven assertions.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I found myself sidelined from the electrifying world of “Dancing on Ice” due to an unexpected setback during my training routines – an injury that demanded my full attention and recovery.

The training occurs at public ice skating venues, which have skating monitors or rink safety personnel, or it happens within the filming studio of Bovingdon, overseen by the production team.

Furthermore, during training sessions, you’ll often find independent skating coaches supervising. We’ve always been open and honest about our welfare procedures, and we prioritize the well-being of our cast and crew above all else in our production.

Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'
Dancing On Ice 'makes HUGE change to format in bid to avoid upsetting competing celebrities': 'Bosses have rethought the plan'

After departing from Dancing on Ice, Barrymore expressed that he thoroughly enjoyed and cherished each and every moment during his stint on the show when speaking to This Morning.

With a cast on his wrist, he shared with past hosts Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who were likewise part of the popular ice skating program, that it had been an incredible experience for him.

This year, the lineup for Dancing on Ice includes:

Assembled among them are the ex-footballer Anton Ferdinand, actress Chelsee Healey from Hollyoaks, reality TV personality Dan Edgar from TOWIE, Chris Taylor known for Love Island, television presenter Michaela Strachan, and Dame Sarah Storey, a renowned Paralympian.

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2024-12-16 23:03

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