Dancing on Ice is a British television series millions of people normally tune in to watch every week during each of the fourteen series that have been broadcast to date. It was aired for the first time in 2006 when it was presented by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. They returned to front the skating competition back in 2018 after Christine Lampard hosted the show from 2012 to 2014.
The show has continuously captivated viewers mainly because it indeed challenges the celebrities that take part. The star that is ultimately crowned the winner might not bring home a massive prize but the trophy and scoring the accolade of being the current year series winner make celebrities want to participate in the competition.
The opportunity to bet on celebrities that pair up with professionals to provide an entertaining spectacle appeals to many punters. Considering the popularity of the show, it makes sense that bookmakers go out of their way to provide lots of betting markets for each Dancing on Ice edition. The 2022 Dancing on Ice edition has not gone without attracting notice, and odds come from all major sports betting sites. As the finale of the 14th series is approaching, bookmakers now focus on the favourites to win the show.
Dancing on Ice Former Winners
The 14 seasons of the celebrity ice skating competition have all attracted the attention of viewers, all the more so because of the celebrities that have taken part in it throughout the years it has been broadcast. It is interesting to note that male competitors have lifted the trophy more times than female competitors have become champions.
The couple who won the first instalment was Gaynor Faye and Daniel Whiston. Daniel Whiston is a professional ice skater who has also appeared in Strictly Ice Dancing, and from 2019 onwards, he has been creating the training and professional routines of all contestants. Throughout the years, Willson has lifted the trophy several times as he did so also during the fifth series when he partnered with Hayley Tamaddon and during the eighth series when he skated together with Beth Tweddle. Maria Filippov is the only other professional who has run away with the prize more than once.
Interestingly, the only professional skater who has taken part in all 14 series of the show is Matt Evers. He, Maria Filippov, and Daniel Whiston are the only professionals who are neck and neck for most final appearances as they have all made it to the final stage of the skating show four times.
We are ready… are you? #DancingOnIce pic.twitter.com/wkg0pkmUrH
— Matt Evers🇺🇦 (@TheMattEvers) January 12, 2020
As it turns out, there are only four professionals who captured the title during their first appearance in the show, and these include Daniel Whiston, Melanie Lambert, Vanessa Bauer, and Angela Egan. Alex Murphy and Maria Filippov, on the other hand, are the only professional skaters who have come out on top during their last appearance in the show.
Dancing on Ice: List of Past Winners
It is worth mentioning that the number of couples that have taken part in the show since its inception varies, and during the first series, the contending couples were ten. In the following years, the number of couples grew to 11, 13, and 14, respectively. During the sixth series of Dancing on Ice, the participating couples were the most as the contending pairs were 16 in total. The participating couples in the next shows were 12, 14 or 15. When the 14th series kicked off on the 16th of January this year, the couples that started vying for the trophy were again 12.
| Series | Number of participating couples | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Gaynor Faye and Daniel Whiston |
| 2 | 11 | Kyran Bracken and Melanie Lambert |
| 3 | 13 | Suzanne Shaw and Matt Evers |
| 4 | 14 | Ray Quinn and Maria Filippov |
| 5 | 16 | Hayley Tamaddon and Daniel Whiston |
| 6 | 15 | Sam Attwater and Brianne Delcourt |
| 7 | 12 | Matthew Wolfenden and Nina Ulanova |
| 8 | 14 | Beth Tweddle and Daniel Whiston |
| 9 | 12 | Ray Quinn and Maria Filippov |
| 10 | 12 | Jake Quickenden and Vanessa Bauer |
| 11 | 12 | James Jordan and Alexandra Schauman |
| 12 | 14 | Joe Swash and Alex Murphy |
| 13 | 12 | Sonny Jay and Angela Egan |
2020-2021 Dancing on Ice
After the Coronavirus pandemic threw the entertainment world in chaos, the production team did just about anything to ensure that the show would run as smoothly as it did before. Like most other TV shows, Dancing on Ice was also affected by the lockdown rules and the coronavirus as there was no live studio audience.
The skating couple that won the 12th series of the ITV show was Joe Swash and Alex Murphy. They narrowly beat Diversity dancer Perri Kiely and his professional skating partner Vanessa Bauer.
The first Golden Ticket of the series goes to… @RufusHound and @IceJohnstone! They'll skate straight through to Week 3 and won't face the public vote tonight. 🎫✨ #DancingOnIce pic.twitter.com/8xg4QlmwVu
— Dancing on Ice (@dancingonice) January 17, 2021
The Golden Ticket is a new twist in the show, which was used for the first time in 2021, but it did not get universal approval from viewers. It was introduced during the first two weeks of the show, and in practice, it served as a clear pass for week three for those who received it. After the introduction of this change-up in the initial stages of the series, the first Golden Ticket was handed to Rufus Hound and his professional partner Robin Johnstone. Thus, they escaped the public vote and made it to the following week. Sonny Jay and his skating partner Angela Egan, are the other skating couple that got a free pass through to next week. Ultimately, they even became the winners of the 13th series.
Dancing on Ice 2022
The 2022 season returned to screens on Sunday, 16th of January, but the Golden Ticket did not make its return during the initial stages of the show. Although rumours had it that Denise van Outen could return to the show this year after her injury in 2021, she was not included in the roster of contenders. During the 13th series, she partnered with Matt Evers, but after she got injured during the rehearsals for the launch of the show, she had no other choice but to withdraw from the competition.
Denise van Outen does not compete in the show this year, but viewers have already seen injured celebrities returning to Dancing on Ice. This happened in 2008 when Michael Underwood got injured and left the series but was allowed to participate in the skating extravaganza the following year.
The celebrities that will take to the rink in the last stages of the show are already known, and it is not long to wait for the winners to be announced.
Judging Panel
The judging panel currently consists of Ashley Banjo, Christopher Dean, Jayne Torvill, and Oti Mabuse. Oti Mabuse is the member who joined the judging panel most recently as she became part of it this year. Arlene Phillips is this year’s guest judge. All other members were enlisted in the panel in 2018, and since that time, Dean and Torvill have been joint head judges. Before that, they were mentors to the contending couples during the first nine seasons of the show.
Dancing on Ice Viewership
The ITV skating series has almost invariably made large audiences flock in front of their TVs, and so far, the premier of the sixth series has attracted the greatest number of viewers. Back in January 2011, those who turned on their TVs to watch the first episode of the series were 10,23 million people. Up to date, the most followed is the final of the first series of Dancing on Ice, which was aired on the 4th of March 2006. At that time, 11,68 million viewers waited to see which skating pair would lift the trophy. The second most followed Dancing on Ice final is the one, which was aired on the 22nd of March 2009 as the number of viewers who watched it was 11,31 million people.
Up to now, the least-watched opening of the series is the one, which was broadcast on the 5th of January 2020. The start of the 12th series was watched by 5,87 million people. It is followed by the opening episode of the 13th series, which was aired on the 17th of January 2021. At that time, 6,01 million people tuned in to watch Dancing on Ice. The 12th and 13th series are also the ones with the lowest average viewers. The average number of viewers who followed the 12th and the 13th series of the live skating show was 5,28 million and 4,90 million people, respectively.
| Series | Viewers of the premier | Viewers of the finale | Average viewers | Number of episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9.83 million | 11.68 million | 9.12 million | 16 |
| 2 | 9.08 million | 9.14 million | 8.00 million | 18 |
| 3 | 9.34 million | 12.08 million | 8.93 million | 20 |
| 4 | 8.83 million | 11.31 million | 8.88 million | 22 |
| 5 | 9.64 million | 9.42 million | 8.24 million | 23 |
| 6 | 10.23 million | 9.35 million | 8.33 million | 23 |
| 7 | 9.62 million | 7.90 million | 7.34 million | 23 |
| 8 | 8.32 million | 7.36 million | 6.70 million | 19 |
| 9 | 7.19 million | 6.95 million | 5.93 million | 19 |
| 10 | 8.56 million | 6.05 million | 6.27 million | 10 |
| 11 | 7.51 million | 6.37 million | 5.61 million | 10 |
| 12 | 5.87 million | 6.15 million | 5.28 million | 10 |
| 13 | 6.01 million | 4.22 million | 4.90 million | 8 |
Since its inception, the ITV show has received several awards and got multiple nominations. Dancing on Ice has been nominated for Most Popular Talent Show at the National Television Awards and Best Talent Show at the TV Quick Awards several times but did not receive any of the accolades. Throughout the years, Dancing on Ice has been nominated for Most Popular Entertainment Programme and Best Multicamera Work.
In 2009, the show got an award for Best Costume Design at the RTS Craft & Design Award. In 2014, the show received TRIC Special Award at the TRIC Awards.
2022 Dancing on Ice Contenders
Dancing on Ice has been on the screens for several years now, and it makes sense that almost no major bookie leaves it outside its agenda. The star skaters that were added to this year’s line-up of contenders were 10 in total, with Sally Dynevor and her dancing partner Matt Evers being among the contenders that attracted the most attention. The actress has gone from strength to strength, and as it seems, she has managed to win the judges over. In spite of this, the show last Sunday was the end of the road for her, and thus, she and her partner became the last couple to leave the show prior to the grand finale.
- The Track and field Paralympic Stef Reid made her debut on the ice in the Dancing on Ice series this year. The paralympic medalist and her professional skating partner Andy Buchanan are the contenders that might win the trophy. This week she even managed to master the first nail-biting dreaded headbanger in the 14th series.
- Another pairing that has hit the ring was Liberty Poole, together with Joe Johnson. Yet, they were voted out after they tumbled during their performance. Even though they were about to get their highest score in the competition, the judging panel chose to crash them out weeks before the grand finale.
- The journalist and English television presenter Ria Hebden also decided to put her skating skill to a test, together with the pro ice skater Lukasz Rozycki. Yet, the television presenter exited the show after losing the skate-off to Rachel Stevens.
- Another 2022 Dancing on Ice contestant is Ben Foden. He decided to swap rugby for the rink, but this is not his first appearance in an ITV show as also tried his hand at singing on ITV’s The X Factor: Celebrity. Foden’s professional Dancing On Ice partner is Robin Johnstone, but they were eliminated from the show after they failed to impress the judging panel.
- The Vamps star Connor Ball and his skating partner Alexandra Schauman were also included in the roster of contenders in Dancing on Ice 2022. Although they are among the remaining Dancing on Ice contestants, the bass guitarist and singer with The Vamps got a gruesome injury, which makes his future in the show rather unclear. Additionally, he said that he is not rooting for himself for the trophy, which further fuels the suspicion that he might not keep up with the show.
Once again your favourite couple of the week is @TheVampsCon and @AlexandraLukasz
Again thank you for voting. Next week there will be no top 4 which means all skaters will be part of
FAVOURITE COUPLE OF THE WEEK#DancingOnIce pic.twitter.com/aWZ63n8xAs— Dancing On Ice (@DOIEpic) February 13, 2022
- One more celebrity who signed up for the ice skating challenge is the Happy Mondays star Bez. The music star and media personality worked together with Angela Egan, but they got the axe from the show in week six.
- As the Dancing on Ice journey continues, the Olympic BMX star Kye Whyte also keeps up with the skating challenge. He joined the line-up for the 14th series together with the professional ice skater and choreographer Tippy Packard. He needed to pull out of the competition for one week after he sprained his knee, and bookmakers were quick to reflect his injury in the odds for him sweeping the victory.
- After her previous performances and a series of high scores, Kimberly Wyatt is among the contenders punters have started paying more attention to. The pop star and actress, who rose to fame as a member of The Pussycat Dolls, took to the ice together with Mark Hanretty. The pair is among the favourites to win the hit ITV show with most bookmakers that provide odds for the ice skating show.
- The former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens was also part of the star-studded line-up of participants. Stevens shot to fame as a member of the chart-topping band and became a runner-up in Strictly Come Dancing in 2008. Although she hoped to reach the heights on the show, Stevens and her partner Brendyn Hatfield were eliminated in week four.
- Regan Gascoigne is one more contestant in the bunch of celebrities that were invited to join Dancing on Ice this year. The dancer and son of the footballing legend Paul Gascoigne takes to the ice together with Karina Manta. Bookmakers say that he is odds-on to win the show after he remained on top of the market almost all throughout the series.
- The professional dancer Brendan Cole, along with his partner Vanessa Bauer, is also among the pairs that have made it to the last stages of Dancing on Ice. The former Strictly pro should not be considered out of the running for the trophy as bookmakers put him among the top contenders.
As the contest nears its grand final, the competition has started to heat up, all the more so after the roster of celebrities was whittled down to six.
2022 Dancing on Ice Odds: The Next Celebrity to Get the Trophy
Even though the market is chock-full of talents, there are already several clear favourites come out tops. At this point, Regan Gascoigne is the favourite in this market, and along with the ballroom professional Brendan Cole and the American singer and dancer Kimberly Wyatt, complete the top three of the contenders to lift the trophy.
Figures show that the most significant share of bets is placed on Regan Gascoigne. The other favourites, Kimberly Wyatt and Brendan Cole, come next in terms of the betting action they attract. Connor Ball is now the celebrity least punters prefer to have a flutter on.
Most leading bookmakers that offer odds for Dancing on Ice have it all and do not only provide prices for the show winner. Depending on their preferences, punters can also place bets on the top female or male celebrity and the gender of the winner.
Sky Bet
Top Female
| Kimberly Wyatt | Stef Reid |
|---|---|
| 1.05 | 9.00 |
Top Male
| Regan Gascoigne | Brendan Cole | Connor Ball | Kye Whyte |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.57 | 3.75 | 5.00 | 51.00 |
Gender of Winner
| Male | Female |
|---|---|
| 1.33 | 3.25 |
William Hill
Next Elimination
| Kye Whyte | Stef Reid | Connor Ball | Brendan Cole | Kimberly Wyatt | Regan Gascoigne |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.40 | 3.50 | 17.00 | 21.00 | 41.00 | 67.00 |
2022 Dancing on Ice Odds
| Celebrity to Win | Sky Bet | Paddy Power | William Hill | BetVictor | Betfred | BoyleSports | 10bet | Betway | Betfair | Fansbet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Cole | 5.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 5.50 | 5.00 | 5.50 | 5.00 | 6.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 |
| Regan Gascoigne | 2.00 | 1.91 | 2.25 | 1.83 | 2.25 | 1.91 | 1.90 | 1.90 | 1.91 | 1.90 |
| Stef Reid | 41.00 | 41.00 | 21.00 | 31.00 | 17.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 41.00 | 34.00 |
| Kimberly Wyatt | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.00 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Connor Ball | 7.00 | 7.00 | 6.50 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.50 | 6.50 | 7.00 | 6.50 |
| Kye Whyte | 81.00 | 81.00 | 151.00 | 61.00 | 101.00 | 67.00 | 67.00 | 51.00 | 81.00 | 67.00 |
*Odds may vary from the date of writing
**This information is provided for informative purposes only and does not promote gambling activities
- Author
Harry Evans
