Holly: We’ll help dancers break the ice... and find love
HOLLY WILLOUGHBY has revealed she will play matchmaker backstage at Dancing On Ice.
Host Holly, 37, says she wants to see contestants have steamy affairs on the ITV skating show – as long as they are single.
She said: “I’ve set up quite a few people. I like doing it. I’ve helped cause marriages and some very successful relationships.
“I really want there to be a romance on Dancing On Ice. I always want that to happen. Wouldn’t it be great? We all like a bit of romance.
“As long as it’s two single people, then I’m well up for a bit of setting people up.”
There have been plenty of Dancing On Ice romances. Pro skater Brianne Delcourt enjoyed flings with three celebrity contestants – actors Matt Lapinskas, Danny Young and Sam Attwater.
And skater Sylvain Longchambon had a relationship with Hollyoaks’s Jennifer Metcalfe, but left her for Coronation Street’s Samia Ghadie.
Ex-footballer David Seaman fell for skating partner Frankie Poultney – and they married nine years later. Co-host Phillip Schofield, 56, is also eager to see love blossom, but he and Holly want to avoid Strictly Come Dancing-style marriage-wrecking scandals. Phillip said: “We’d like everyone’s marriages to be intact. But there is no question that when you have a celeb that needs attention and help and you have the fantastic professional in shining armour, it can happen. It’s a heady mix.”
He added: “I’ll definitely pass notes and play Cupid.”
Dancing On Ice will be back on January 6 with plenty of fiery characters including Gemma Collins, James Jordan and Saira Khan, so fireworks are virtually guaranteed.
Holly said: “We would love a spat between the judges. I do like a bit of chaos on a live show. I think we all do, don’t we?”
Phillip added: “A good row is great. There have been sparks in the past and we love that.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how [pro skater] James Jordan is. He’s said, ‘They’re the professionals, I’ll respect what they say’. But I think that’s going to last for one week. He can’t help it.
“Jason Gardiner will be on the judging panel, on the other side. Me and Holly will just step back and let it happen. And if it’s not happening properly I might poke it a little bit!”
Holly and Phillip will be fronting the pair’s eighth series of Dancing On Ice when it returns.
When it first launched in 2006, it was the start of one of TV’s most popular double acts.
But there is bad news for the Dancing On Ice arena tour.
Executives have pulled the plug on the live spectacular over fears ticket sales will be too low.
A show insider said: “There were preliminary discussions about an arena tour. But it was decided that it was too much of a risk. There just isn’t the demand.”