TV & Showbiz

ITV’s Dancing on Ice is being taken off the air after nearly two decades

Sorry to the bearers of bad news.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 27th March 2025

A UK TV staple looks to have come to an end after nearly 20 years as ITV appears to have axed, or at the very least shelved, their long-standing annual show, Dancing on Ice.

The celebrity ice-skating competition and reality programme started all the way back in 2006 and was a British favourite for a long time, especially during the heyday of X-Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, I’m A Celeb and the like.

However, following a slump over recent years, ITV has announced that Dancing on Ice will not be returning next year and could be seemingly be sidelined indefinitely.

Confirmed on Thursday, 27 March, just over a fortnight after Coronation Street star Sam Aston (Chesney Brown) won the 2025 final, it looks like you won’t be seeing celebs skating on ice again for some time.

Speaking to the Metro, a spokesperson for the broadcaster said in an official statement: “Following another successful series earlier this year, Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.”

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dancing on ice finished ITV
The 2025 Dancing on Ice lineup (Credit: ITVX)

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the cast and crew who have worked on the show since 2006, and over the previous 17 series, for all of their hard work both on and off the ice.”

An average of just under three million viewers tuned into ITV1 live for the launch of the most recent show back in January, while approximately 3.6 million tuned in to watch the first episode last year.

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Presented by familiar famous faces, Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, judged by ice skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, as well as dancing duo Ashley Banjo and Oti Mabuse – with previous hosts including Christine Lampard and Phillip Schofield – it’s been a mainstay for 19 years.

ITV has actually halted Dancing on Ice once before just over a decade ago, when the show was rested after its ninth season; the ‘first’ run ended with an all-star series, only for it to ultimately return to our screens just four years later in 2018.

Having now been cut short just 12 months short of its 20th anniversary, fans as well as former cast and crew members alike have been bidding it bittersweet goodbye:

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Radio and TV enthusiast Ryan Glendenning went on to add: “Also take a moment to acknowledge the hard work that went into Dancing on Ice from the pros, behind the scenes people, choreographers, judges and the celebs.

“Back in the Ray Quinn/Hayley Tamadon days, the show thrived – sadly, that’s not the case anymore. ITV killed this show!”

Dancing on Ice isn’t the only ITV product struggling with viewing figures of late, as even Corrie had to pause filming back in February following news of more cutbacks.

Were you a fan since day one? Are you gutted to see it go, or are you expecting it to make another comeback somewhere down the line?

Let us know in the comments.

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Featured Images — ITV (screenshot/press image)

TV & Showbiz

Benson Boone has announced a headline gig in Manchester – and it’s a big one

Danny Jones Danny Jones Benson Boone Manchester gig tickets

American pop sensation and unrivalled king of unnecessary front flips, Benson Boone, has just announced his first-ever headline Manchester arena gig as part of a new arena tour.

The solo artist and acrobatic chart-topper has seen a meteoric rise in the US and, as is usually the case across the Atlantic, he’s become increasingly popular over here too.

Benson may have performed here in Manchester before as part of the 2024 MTV EMAs and for a small show at The Deaf Institute, but now big fans have the added Boone of getting to watch a standalone show at one of Europe’s leading indoor entertainment venues.

Announced on Friday, 30 May, the 22-year-old will be making his way across the pond from Washington for a limited run of UK concerts, with a date at Co-op Live arena being one of just five dates.

Extending his ‘American Heart Tour’ ahead of the release of his eponymous sophomore record, with this autumn leg, Co-op Live will mark his individual visit to 0161.

The Grammy-nominated artist has earned several nods of recognition already for his first album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, which was released just last spring.

He has been described as among the current trend of male singers who fit into the American Idol and ‘Voice audition pop’ genre (a term recently coined online), along with the likes of Teddy Swims, Shawn Mendes, Alex Warren and others.

Regardless of the slightly tongue-in-cheek term, he’s become a huge hit around the world and landing him is still a big coup for the venue that has already welcomed similarly massive pop contemporaries like Swims, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and more.

In case you’re wondering just how big a deal he is over in the States, even this early in his career, his domestic headline dates sold out in seconds, quite literally…

The last time he visited Co-op Live was to perform at the most recent MTV EMAs

Benson Boone is coming to Manchester on Monday, 27 October and will be playing just two other British venues: The O2 in London (two nights) and the Utilita Arena in Birmingham.

Safe to say you don’t want to miss this one if you like soaring vocals and lots of flipping.

General admission tickets go live at 10am on Thursday, 5 June, but Co-op Members can gain access via the arena’s official pre-sale window from the same time on Tuesday (3 Jun).

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

We’re pretty excited by the pending arrival of another trending pop name very soon as well.

The UK’s 2025 Eurovision act Remember Monday has announced a Manchester gig

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Featured Images — Press Shots/Audio North

TV & Showbiz

More adult virgins needed for next series of Channel 4’s hit reality show Virgin Island

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Channel 4 is back looking for more adult virgins to take part in the potential next series of its hit reality show Virgin Island.

You may remember that early last year, we brought you the breaking highly-important news that Channel 4 was currently in the process of producing a new reality TV series that, at the time, had the working title of ‘The Intimacy Retreat’ and was looking for a group of adult virgins to apply to take part, if they were brave enough.

But now, well over a year on, we all know that show turned out to be the hit show Virgin Island – which has just finished airing its first series this week.

Virgin Island
Channel 4 needs more adult virgins for the potential next series of its hit reality TV show Virgin Island / Credit: Channel 4

If you’re unfamiliar with Virgin Island, it’s unlike anything ever seen on TV before, as it follows the journey of a group of adult virgins who are whisked off to a Mediterranean island retreat to learn life-changing skills in the art of intimacy.

Working with leading international therapists, the aim is to help the young people overcome their fears and insecurities when it comes to intimacy and sex.

Channel 4 said it chose to commission the show after a recent study into intimacy found out that one in eight British 26-year-olds is, apparently, still a virgin.

Virgin Island
Virgin Island aims to help young people overcome their insecurities around intimacy and sex / Credit: Channel 4

A casting call for the new series on the Channel 4 website reads: “Are you a virgin and do you need help and guidance with your fears and insecurities around intimacy and sex? Double Act Productions is casting adults for a potential second series of Virgin Island.”

You just need to be over 21 years of age to take part in the show.

Fancy it then? Or know someone who may be up for the ride? Applications for the potential next series of Virgin Island are now open, and there’s still plenty of time left to put your name down.

Read more:

You can find out more and register your interest here.

Featured Image – Channel 4

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