Dancing On Ice: What does Phillip Schofield's This Morning exit mean for the show?

After Phillip Schofield stepped down from working with Holly Willoughby, what is the future of the celebrity skating contest?

Albertina Lloyd
·Contributor
Updated ·2-min read
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have hosted Dancing On Ice together for the past five series. (ITV)
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have hosted Dancing On Ice together for the past five series. (ITV)

The future of Dancing On Ice has been called into question following Phillip Schofield's sudden departure from This Morning.

Schofield, 61, announced in a statement that he was stepping down from the ITV daytime show after 21 years, following ongoing rumours of a feud between him and co-host Holly Willoughby.

Read more: Phillip Schofield exits This Morning: The timeline

But the presenting duo's working relationship began with celebrity skating contest Dancing On Ice, which they first teamed up to host on ITV in 2006.

When is Dancing On Ice due back on air?

The 16th series of the TV talent show is due to air in January 2024, and is not yet in production.

A spokesperson for the show has said it would be making “further announcements” about the show, along with Schofield's involvement “in due course”.

Dancing on Ice logo
ITV has promised further announcements on the future of Dancing On Ice "in due course". (ITV)

When the former CBBC Broom Cupboard presenter and West End star announced his departure from This Morning, he confirmed he will next appear on ITV hosting The British Soap Awards on Saturday, 3 June, 2023.

Has anyone else hosted Dancing On Ice?

When Schofield tested positive for COVID-19 in February 2022 he was absent from hosting one episode of Dancing On Ice.

Read more: When will Phillip Schofield return to television?

Willoughby, 42, was joined by her old CITV colleague Stephen Mulhern, who stood in to replace Schofield on the live show.

But when Willoughby contracted coronavirus a month later, Schofield hosted the semi-final of Dancing On Ice 2022 alone.

Holly Willoughby presented Dancing On Ice with old CITV pal Stephen Mulhern when Phillip Schofieldhad COVID. (ITV/Shutterstock)
Holly Willoughby presented Dancing On Ice with old CITV pal Stephen Mulhern when Phillip Schofield had COVID. (ITV/Shutterstock)

Willoughby and Mulhern co-presented Stephen and Holly's Saturday Showdown on Saturday morning's on ITV from 2004 to 2006.

Mulhern, 46, is well known to ITV viewers for hosting gameshows including Catchphrase, In For A Penny and Deal Or No Deal.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 30: Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley present the British Olympic Ball at the Grosvenor Hotel on November 30, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images)
Phillip Schofield hosted Dancing On Ice with Christine Bleakley for three series between 2012 and 2014. (Getty Images)

Willoughby took time away from Dancing On Ice for three years between 2012 and 2014 and was replaced with Christine Bleakley. The youngest of Willoughby's three children were born in 2011 and 2014.

The show then took a hiatus before it was revived with Willoughby and Schofield back together as the faces of the series in 2018.

Read more: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield: Their on-screen history together

John Barrowman was axed from the judging panel of the show in 2021 following accusations of sexual misconduct made against him. He was replaced by Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse.

Watch: Stephen Mulhern replaced Phillip Schofield on Dancing On Ice when he had COVID