Dancing on Ice 2023: ITV series announces huge shake-up for Sunday night - with skate-off axed

Dancing On Ice has axed the skate-off for this weekend’s episode
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Dancing On Ice is set for a major shake-up to its format this weekend.

Fans of the ITV series, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, will be removing a favourite feature from Sunday (29 January) night’s episode. The skate-off has been axed for the upcoming episode.

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But why has it been removed, will it be back? Here’s all you need to know:

When is Dancing On Ice on?

The ITV series will air in its usual Sunday night slot on 29 January. This week’s episode will begin at 6.25pm and air until 8pm, when it will be followed by Vera.

ITV and its streaming service ITVX will both broadcast the TV show and episodes are available for catch up following broadcast.

Given the frequency of injuries on Dancing On Ice, it can run for anywhere between eight to 10 weeks. At present, ITV expects the competition to take place over nine weeks, with the grand final on 12 March.

Dancing on Ice ITV1 Darren Harriott (ITV images)Dancing on Ice ITV1 Darren Harriott (ITV images)
Dancing on Ice ITV1 Darren Harriott (ITV images)

How have ITV shaken-up the show this week?

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ITV have AXED the skate-off in this Sunday’s episode, for the first time in the programme’s history. Normally, the two couples with lowest scores and public votes compete head-to-head in a bid to remain on the show.

However, Digital Spy reports that the skate-off will not take place on 29 January. Instead “this weekend's episode will see all the show's couples scored by the judges, before being combined with the public's vote as usual. Then, the lowest-scoring pair will be sent home”.

The website reports that the skate-off will return as usual for the episode next week (5 February). So you don’t have to get use to this major shake-up!

How can you vote Dancing On Ice 2023?

A key part of Dancing On Ice is the public vote. After the couples perform their dances, the judges scores are combined with the public’s vote, and the two lowest-scoring pairs have to dance again in what is known as the ‘skate off’.

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Who survives the skate off is solely determined by the judges. If the number of contestants changes - something that happens fairly often given the high injury rate seen on the show - more than one couple can end up going home in a single week.

At the moment, there are no exact details for how to vote for this year’s edition of Dancing On Ice. ITV will inform viewers how they can cast their votes during the show. It is likely online voting will take place in a broadly similar way to previous series, with the audience urged to cast their votes over the phone or via the ITV website.

Who has been eliminated from Dancing On Ice so far?

John Fashanu has said his time on Dancing On Ice has been “wonderful” as he became the first celebrity to be eliminated from the new series last weekend (22 January). The former footballer, 60, found himself in the dreaded skate-off against Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu, 28, who performed last weekend with the first batch of celebrities.

Fashanu and his professional partner Alexandra Schauman performed once again, this time to Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit In The Sky while Culculoglu and her partner Brendyn Hatfield skated to No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande. After the couples went head to head, the judges voted unanimously to save Culculoglu, sending Fashanu packing.

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Fashanu, who was part of the Wimbledon team that won the FA Cup final against Liverpool in 1988, said: “Whatever happens it has been wonderful. FA Cup final again.” He also confirmed he will carry on skating and said he might even start teaching others.

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