Dancing On Ice could be scrapped after Coronation Street star Sam Aston was crowned the 2025 champion, according to reports.
The ITV series, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, has seen a decline in viewership, losing over a million viewers in the past two years.
And now insiders claim staff have been told the long-running show, which first aired in 2006, is “over.”
According to The Sun, the show could be rested before returning with a revamp, much like its 2014 hiatus before its 2018 comeback.
A source told the outlet: “Viewing figures are remarkably less than they were but they still had almost three million watch the launch show. There's no denying, though, that the format has become tired and they're not getting the big names they once did.
“Changes are needed and it's likely it'll be rested and given a new lease of life but said staff were ‘not holding out much hope.’
“The show's future hinges on the meetings that follow last night's finale. Dancing On Ice is an expensive production and there are questions over whether ITV is getting bang for its buck”.
Christopher Dean has confessed he’s uncertain about the future of the series.
The show judge—who won Olympic gold in 1984 alongside skating partner Jayne Torvill—also acknowledged that five decades of performing have taken a physical toll.
He said: “If Dancing on Ice continues, we will just come back as judges.”
A spokesperson for ITV told The Standard: “The Dancing On Ice team has been fully concentrating on the much anticipated series finale last night and therefore no decision has been made."
The speculation follows reports that Willoughby turned down a lucrative ITV offer to front a reboot of You Bet! after finding global success on Celebrity Bear Hunt.
ITV insiders also revealed that Willoughby’s packed schedule prevented her from returning to the game show she co-hosted in a two-part special last year with Stephen Mulhern.
She recently gained international recognition on Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt—her first major project outside ITV.
Sources at the streaming giant say she made a strong impression, and executives are eager to collaborate with her on more globally distributed shows.
An insider told MailOnline: “You Bet was so popular with the viewers wished it came back for two shows that ITV bosses decided to give it a full run.
“Holly and Stephen are a great double act and they were both brilliant so they were asked back. But Holly politely declined, she has other commitments and couldn't make it work.
“She is in demand and now she isn't shackled to This Morning four days a week, she is able to look at more options, some are global.”
In light of the reports, an ITV spokesperson confirmed that Willoughby wouldn’t be returning as a full-time host of the game show after one season.
They said: “Unfortunately Holly couldn’t commit to the dates to host, but will hopefully appear as a guest panellist on one of the shows in the new series.”
The Standard has contacted Holly Willoughby’s rep for comment.
Sunday’s final saw Sam and his professional partner Molly Lanaghan narrowly defeat bookies’ favorite Michaela Strachan to take the title.
