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Holly Willoughby Ditched ITV After Dancing On Ice Axe

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Holly Willoughby, in response to Dancing on Ice being canceled, publicly addressed her long-time co-host Phillip Schofield following their two decades of shared work on ITV’s prime-time programs. With this decision, she found herself without an ITV primetime show for the first time in 21 years after choosing not to accept a significant job offer from the broadcaster.

On Thursday, Holly took to Instagram to post a heartfelt message praising the ice skating program, expressing gratitude towards everyone involved over the past 19 years. Interestingly, she didn’t explicitly acknowledge Phil, her long-time co-host during the 13-year run of the show.

Among many photos taken during her tenure as host of the ITV show, Holly wrote: “A big thank you to @itv, the fantastic team, crew, celebrities, and everyone who has been a part of our Dancing on Ice family for the past 19 years.

Year after year, as January’s gloom seemed to envelop everything, Dancing on Ice would appear, illuminating the landscape with a radiant, sparkling brilliance. It was a beacon of warmth, joy, and unbridled emotion, filling me with a sense of delight…

Working with skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean has been an extraordinary honor. Witnessing their incredible performances on the ice was more than just a spectacle – it was pure enchantment, like watching magic unfold right before my eyes.

1. “Additionally, gratitude is due to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx, and fake tan – often unrecognized stars of the ice rink! I’ll deeply miss this experience, but feel incredibly fortunate to have enjoyed it for as long as we did. Lastly, a heartfelt thank you goes out to you for watching – you are truly exceptional!”

2. “Besides the main players, appreciation is extended to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx, and fake tan – unsung champions of the ice rink! I’ll greatly miss this journey, but I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been a part of it for as long as we did. Lastly, thanks a million for your attention, you’re simply the best!”

3. “Apart from the prominent figures, my gratitude goes to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx, and fake tan – the unheralded heroes of the ice rink! I’ll sorely miss this adventure, but feel incredibly blessed for having it last as long as we did. Lastly, a big thank you for your company, you’re simply the best!”

4. “Beyond the main actors, my gratitude extends to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx, and fake tan – the unsung heroes of the ice rink! I’ll miss this experience dearly, but feel incredibly fortunate for having it last as long as we did. Lastly, a heartfelt thank you for being here with me, you’re truly outstanding!”

5. “Alongside the key performers, appreciation is due to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx, and fake tan – the unsung heroes of the ice rink! I’ll miss this adventure terribly, but feel incredibly grateful for having it last as long as we did. Lastly, a sincere thank you for your presence, you’re simply fantastic!”

For a considerable period, Holly proved to be ITV’s cherished golden lady, establishing herself as the beloved host of their most-watched programs like This Morning and Dancing On Ice.

Instead, it seems that Holly has chosen to shift the focus of her television career, no longer having an ITV show after the cancellation of Dancing on Ice.

She recently disappointed ITV as she declined an attractive offer to host the game show You Bet! on Saturday nights.

According to ITV sources, she had other obligations after Holly took on hosting duties for Celebrity Bear Hunt, marking her initial major role outside of ITV.

For the first time in over twenty years, Holly doesn’t have an ITV show on her schedule, marking a change from the period when she was widely admired as ITV’s television sweetheart.

For quite some time, she has been a well-recognized figure across ITV and ITV2, appearing as the host in programs such as Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice, The Games, The Xtra Factor, and I’m A Celebrity.

Holly is primarily recognized for co-hosting “This Morning” with Philip Schofield from 2009 to 2023, and additionally for her role as the main host of “Dancing on Ice” since 2006.

Currently, there’s no announced return for Holly on ITV, as she hasn’t officially agreed to work on any new projects with them.

TopMob has contacted ITV and Holly’s representatives for comment.

However, it seems that Holly may be anticipating a thrilling future with Netflix, given her reportedly impressive performance while hosting the new reality TV show, Celebrity Bear Hunt, which caught the attention of the executives there.

As a seasoned lifestyle advisor, I can confidently share that insiders have hinted at Netflix’s strong interest in collaborating further with her on upcoming projects, potentially making these productions available globally following her successful debut on Bear Grylls’ show.

Instead of accepting a financially attractive offer to host a fresh iteration of the iconic game show “You Bet!” on ITV, Holly declined due to her existing obligations.

According to a source, the audience’s enthusiasm for “You Bet” was so strong that ITV executives chose to air the show in its entirety due to the desire for two episodes.

‘Holly and Stephen are a great double act and they were both brilliant so they were asked back.

‘But Holly politely declined, she has other commitments and couldn’t make it work.

Now that she’s no longer tied down to hosting “This Morning” four days a week, she has the freedom to explore various opportunities, some of which are on a global scale.

For her, the Celebrity Bear Hunt was a significant milestone, marking her debut with Netflix. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the team appreciated her as well. Therefore, there’s a strong possibility that we might see more collaborations in the future.

‘The world is now Holly’s oyster, there are so many opportunities for her.’

A representative from ITV stated: Unfortunately, Holly was unable to confirm her availability for hosting the new season of ‘You Bet!’, but she may make an appearance as a panel guest during one of the upcoming episodes.

In the past, Holly collaborated with prominent UK television networks, sharing hosting duties for “Freeze The Fear” with Wim Hof and Lee Mack on BBC in 2022.

Beyond the glare of her television stardom, Holly, wife of TV producer Dan Baldwin, additionally manages her personal wellness and lifestyle business, named Wylde Moon.

The value of her business conglomerate is approximated at around £10 million, and she has collaborated with notable brands such as Marks & Spencer, Diet Coke, and Oral-B.

Following the announcement that “Dancing on Ice,” the show Holly co-hosts with Stephen Mulhern, will not be returning for a new series in 2026, her career undergoes a significant change.

After the 2025 finale, whispers circulated that the skating spectacle might be canceled, as team members hinted that their involvement with the show had concluded.

As a devoted admirer, I’m sharing the news that after another triumphant season this year, Dancing on Ice will take a break in 2026, and at the moment, there are no plans scheduled for another series.

It’s a pleasure to express our gratitude to everyone involved in the show since 2006, across the 17 series. Whether they’ve been working on or off the ice rink, we appreciate all their tireless efforts.

From 2006 onwards, around 200 well-known figures have participated in Dancing On Ice, and about 100 adaptations of the legendary Bolero costume were crafted for celebrities who danced to Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s renowned ice skate performance.

The decision was made following the 2025 finale of Dancing On Ice, which recorded its lowest audience viewership in the series’ entire history.

2025’s competition saw its all-time low ratings following the victory of Coronation Street actor, Sam Aston.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that the recent finale was quite thrilling, yet it’s hard not to notice the significant drop in viewership. Originally, over 12 million people were tuning in at the show’s peak, but this time around, only 2.7 million viewers joined the spectacle – a staggering decline indeed.

Following reports that the show won’t come back, and with the staff already informed about job terminations, attendance or ratings took a sharp decline.

In 2006, the premiere of the show took place on ITV. The first season’s winner was Gaynor Faye, a former Coronation Street actress known for her role as Judy Mallett during the ’90s.

The format initially made its comeback on screens in 2018, four years after it was originally discontinued, and it has been broadcast during the first few months of each subsequent year since then.

Previously, Holly used to co-host the program alongside her ex-co-star from This Morning, Philip. Later, Stephen stepped in to become her new co-host.

Following the cancellation of Dancing on Ice, Stephen has been confirmed as the host for You Bet! However, a replacement is being sought for his co-host position, as Holly declined the offer.

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2025-03-27 20:35

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