Dancing on Ice in turmoil as fourth star quits
WITH three celebrities ruled out through illness and injury, it was already turning into a skating version of Casualty.
Now Dancing on Ice has been beset by misfortune once again.
Emmerdale’s Joe-Warren Plant has become the fourth star to pull out of the ITV show, after testing positive for coronavirus.
The 18-year-old – who was one of the bookmakers’ favourites to win – made the announcement yesterday alongside his professional skating partner Vanessa Bauer, 24, who also has Covid.
This is the highest number of contestants forced to leave a competition in the show’s history.
Last week, it was revealed that comedian Rufus Hound was withdrawing after testing positive for Covid, while reality TV star Billie Shepherd left after hitting her head during a fall on the ice.
Actress and singer Denise van Outen also had to quit after she partially dislocated her shoulder during training. Plant said he was disappointed to leave the competition early. ‘I have loved every
‘Working hard to perfect each performance’
minute of being a part of Dancing on Ice and I am disappointed as I feel I had so much more to give and was working hard to perfect each performance,’ he said in a statement. ‘Thank you so much to Vanessa for being a fantastic teacher.’
Miss Bauer said: ‘Joe-Warren has been growing every week into such a talented skater and I’m so sad we won’t be able to show more of the great routines we had planned.
‘I am beyond proud, and devastated as we had so much more to show – he was the hardest working partner I’ve ever had.’
It has been a tumultuous few weeks for show bosses since the series started in January.
Olympic skier Graham Bell’s professional partner Yebin Mok was also forced to leave after a skate left a deep cut in her leg during training ahead of the first show.
Dancing on Ice continues at 6pm tomorrow.