Dancing On Ice final ‘could be the last’ as hit ITV show ‘faces axe’ after nearly 20 years on air - suong
THE Dancing On Ice final next week ‘could be the last,’ as the hit ITV show is facing the axe.
The show skated onto our screens in 2006, but ended after its ninth run in 2014.
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The Dancing On Ice final next week ‘could be the last,’ as the hit ITV show is facing the axeCredit: Rex
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The show skated onto our screens in 2006Credit: Rex
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It comes amid a ratings dipCredit: Rex
It then returned four years later, as pro skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean opted to swap their role as mentors instead of judges.
But last weekend, in poignant scenes, they performed on the Dancing On Ice rink together for the last time, skating a completely new routine which will air in the series final.
The Olympic champions will soon hang up their blades after 50 years of incredible performances when they take to the road for a UK arena tour titled Our Last Dance.
And a source has now revealed that this could be the last year of Dancing On Ice, after its lowest ever ratings.
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They told the Mirror: “There are very real fears this is the end of the road for Dancing on Ice. It’s had a good run for nearly 20 years and has a very loyal set of viewers who really love it but the sad truth is there’s just not enough of them.
“We need bums on seats but the ratings have dropped to a point where it’s difficult to justify the cost.”
This year, 2.9million tuned in for the launch of the show, compared to 12million in its heyday, and by the fifth episode that number had decreased to 2.4million.
An ITV spokeswoman continued to tell the publication: “The Dancing on Ice team is fully concentrating on the much anticipated series finale this coming Sunday and therefore no decision has been made.”
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After Torvill and Dean performed their final routine recently, a source said: "No one in the audience had a clue they were about see such a historic moment.
"Jayne and Chris put on an incredible performance and proved they still had that magical chemistry on the ice after five decades.
"It was really emotional to watch and there were plenty of tears in the studio. It was an absolute privilege and something we'll never see again."
An insider confirmed the routine was filmed in advance for time reasons.
The medal-winning pairing announced their plans to leave the ice behind earlier this year.
Though it was a big decision, Christopher, 66, admitted they were ready.
He said: "We've been doing it a long time and people our age shouldn't be doing it now, so we're just happy that we can still do it."
Once their skating commitments are fulfilled, Jane plans to soak up the sun and play tennis with husband Phil Christensen in Spain where they have a holiday home.
Meanwhile Christopher and his partner Karen are buying a motorhome to travel around the UK.
Jayne and Chris were first partnered together in 1975 after winning British Championships.
In their first Olympic Games in 1980, the pairing skated away with a fifth-placed finish. It set them in good stead for what would become a career-defining win four years later, in Sarajevo.
The 1984 routine to the iconic Bolero is still revered to this day and kickstarted a decade long winning run in which they were quite literally unbeatable.
They returned to the amateur scene, after years spent on the professional circuit, for the 1994 Games where they received a hard fought bronze medal.
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Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean will soon hang up their bladesCredit: Getty
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Dancing On Ice has been on screens for nearly 20 yearsCredit: Rex
