'Dancing On Ice' welcomes back Sylvain Longchambon as pro cast is confirmed

Dancing On Ice is welcoming former show star Sylvain Longchambon back to its professional cast for the 2023 series.

Longchambon last skated with a celebrity partner in the 2019 series, when he was matched with Coronation Street's Jane Danson.

Read more: Dancing On Ice 2023 cast - all the confirmed celebrities

The 42-year-old French ice dancer met his now wife, Samia Ghadie, when he skated with her in the 2013 series and they also now have a son together.

His time on the ITV series was marked by romantic controversy as he was in a two-year relationship with 2011 partner, Hollyoaks actor Jennifer Metcalfe, before splitting up with her and shortly afterwards getting together with the Corrie star.

Metcalfe's cast mate Jorgie Porter couldn't resist a dig at Longchambon when she was matched with him for the 2014 All Stars series, saying in a training video where she was introduced to her skating partner: “Does that mean I’m going to be his girlfriend?” and “If he doesn’t try it on with me, I’ll be really angry”.

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Longchambon isn't the only former pro skater being welcomed back to the cast for the 2023 series - viewers will also see Vicky Ogden and Klabera Komini back on the ice after last appearing in 2021.

Ogden also met her partner on the show - she married former EastEnders star Sam Attwater in 2014, although he originally skated with Brianne Delcourt, who he briefly dated, and skated alongside Ogden in the All Stars series.

Another addition to the pro cast is Olivia Smart, an Olympic ice dancer who represented Spain at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The rest of the 2023 pro cast has been confirmed as Matt Evers, who has been a part of Dancing On Ice since it launched in 2006, Alexandra Schauman and her husband Łukasz Różycki, Mark Hanretty, Brendyn Hatfield, Vanessa Bauer, Tippy Packard and Colin Grafton.

Fans will have to wait to find out which of the celebrity cast they will be partnered with, after the star cast was confirmed as Patsy Palmer, John Fashanu, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, Nile Wilson, Mollie Gallagher, The Vivienne, Joey Essex, Darren Harriott, Carley Stenson, Michelle Heaton and Siva Kaneswaran.

Dancing On Ice will return in January 2023.

Watch: Siva Kaneswaran says Tom Parker inspired him to do Dancing On Ice