Dancing on Ice is often labelled the most dangerous show on UK TV, and is it any wonder why given all the gruesome injuries which have occured down through the years?
Ever since the ITV competition first kicked off way back 2006, some of the biggest stars in the industry have been putting their bodies on the line to compete on the ice - sometimes, resulting in horrific injuries.
While injuries are given on a show such as Dancing On Ice, as ametuer skaters try their luck at dangerous moves on the famous ice rink, last year, injuries reached an all-time high with ITV bosses being forced to call a halt to the show.
The situation had never been so bad, with Dancing On Ice bosses deciding to pause the show for an entire week due to the amount of stars being injured and other who were forced to quit because their ailments were so bad.
Although the 2022 series went down in history due to the colossal amount of injuries, every series, there has been one or two really bad mishaps which left stars with slashed faces, broken ribs, and even a stab wound.
Here, we take a look at the most gruesome injuries to ever occur on the ITV competition.
Jennifer Ellison slices her scalp open
Arguably the most gruesome injury ever seen on the show, Jennifer Ellison sliced open her own scalp in horrific scenes on the ice.
The former Brookside actress attempted a scorpion kick - an audacious move where she arched back and kicked up a leg - but it ended in disaster back in 2012 when things went horribly wrong for the actress.
Jennifer was described as a 'trooper' by her professional dance partner Dan Whiston as he praised her for finishing the routine during the live show, even though she knew she had sliced her scalp.
Once their dance was over, paramedics immediately rushed in as blood started streaming from Jennifer's head - so much so that her hair started turning red.
"At the end of the routine Jen does a scorpion kick. She threw her leg really high and the heel of her skate has gone into the back of her head," explain pro skater Dan.
"Her whole hair was just red because obviously the heart's pumping and a lot of blood has come out. But she's in great hands."
Jen appeared emotional in footage which showed her receiving medical treatment for a head wound after the dance commenced.
Head coach at the time, Karen Barber said the incident demonstrated 'how dangerous ice-skating is', as she explained: "The blades are so sharp. The adrenaline tonight went a little bit further and it was an accident."
Gemma Collins confined to wheelchair after nasty fall
Former TOWIE star Gemma Collins was left confined to a wheelchair for a week after she took a horror fall on Dancing On Ice back in 2019.
The GC took a painful looking tumble and face-planted the ice after struggling to keep up with dance partner Matt Evers.
The much-loved reality TV star, 37, fought back the tears as she stayed to listen to the judges' critique before being rushed backstage to see a physio.
Less than 24 hours after the show, Gemma appeared to be still suffering from her injuries as she was rendered unable to walk.
After being deemed unfit for rehearsals the Monday after her painful fall, Gemma was pictured being aided by ex-boyfriend Arg as she hobbled out of her Essex apartment on one foot.
A few days later, Gemma's condition appeared to worsen as she had to be pushed into her friend's house in a wheelchair.
The star shared pictures of her bruised and battered legs after her fall, but she made a return to dance again with professional partner, Matt Evers
Matt Evers slashes his face with boot
Dancing on Ice favourite Matt Evers suffered one of the most shocking injuries in the show's history when he took part in 2012.
The professional skater's face was sliced open in a freak accident with celeb partner Jorgie Porter during a neck spin.
Hollyoaks star Jorgie slipped while wrapping her legs around Matt's face in a dress rehearsal, which sent her boot blades straight across Matt's forehead.
Matt had a long cut down the centre of his face and was rushed to hospital to be stitched up.
Although he was shaken from the shock accident, Matt bravely got back on the ice for the live performance.
David Seaman gruesome headbanger drop
The headbanger is one of the most feared moves for any skater, and it proved to be incredibly dangerous when David Seaman had an unfortunate accident with his professional skating partner, Pam O'Connor back in 2006.
During rehearsals, David attempted to swing his partner round by her feet with her face just inches away from the ice.
However, the former Arsenal goalkeeper accidentally dropped Pam onto the ice in a horrific crash.
Pam was rushed to hospital after splitting open her chin and needed stitches, but ever the professional she returned to the ice to skate with David again.
That wasn't her only injury of the series, as during another fall David landed on Pam's head which dislocated her shoulder.
Vanilla Ice suffers broken and bloody eye socket
Rapper Vanilla Ice suffered a gruesome injury in 2011 when he slipped on the ice and smashed his head hard.
During a training session, the Ice Ice Baby hit-maker, fell straight on his face and was left unconscious for three whole minutes.
Vanilla Ice has blood streaming down his face and cracked his eye socket, leading him to be rushed to hospital with concussion.
"I felt like I’ve been hit by Mike Tyson," he said at the time.
Thankfully, Vanilla Ice recovered and bravely returned to the ice to compete in the rest of the competition.
Joe Swash slices 'cauliflower' ear
When Joe Swash competed on the 2020 series of Dancing On Ice, he managed to injure himself in a manner that was never before seen on the ITV show.
The former EastEnders actor was rushed to hospital after being kicked in the ear with an ice-skate.
Joe was immediately scheduled in for and emergency operation to the drain infected ‘goo’ from his injured ear.
He later admitted he had 'cauliflower ear' and was forced to wear a huge bandage over his head in the week before the final - but despite it all, he went on to win the 2020 series.
However, the former I'm A Celebrity star admitted he was still in pain during the final due to an incision having to be made in the back of his ear.
"When I started this process, the last thing I thought I was going to hurt was my ear," he confessed.
Yebin Mok suffers 'stab wound'
A freak accident during the 2022 series of Dancing on Ice was one of the worst that the ITV show had ever seen.
Professional skater Yebin Mok was forced to pull out ahead of the launch due to a 'nasty' injury in training.
At the time, sickened host Phillip Schofield claimed her wound was so deep you could 'see the tendons'.
The professional skater was revealed to have been 'stabbed' in the leg with an ice skating blade while she trained with celebrity partner Graham Bell.
Yebin received immediate medical attention after sustaining a laceration in her leg and Graham had to skate with a new partner in her absence.
Addressing the sad news, Graham said: "I fell when we were training on Monday and Yebin my pro-dance partner fell onto the back of my skate. She was cut quite badly on the shin and needed an operation to clean and stitch up the wound.
"She spent Monday night in Watford hospital and was released yesterday, luckily there was no nerve or tendon damage."
Beth Tweddle smashes head on ice
Beth Tweddle won Dancing on Ice in 2013 - but not before suffering a nerve-inducing injury.
The former Olympic gymnast smashed her head against the ice while attempting an almost impossible move known as the Whirlybird.
Beth was spun around by pro skating partner Daniel Whiston, but the pair lost their grip on one another and she came crashing down on the hard surface.
Worried professional skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean rushed over to check how she was doing.
Remarkably, Beth insisted she was "fine" and got straight back on the ice, while feeling a little dizzy.
Brian McFadden's shoulder pops out
Former Westlife star Brian McFadden faced agony when he appeared on Dancing On Ice in 2019 when his shoulder popped out.
Before he had even skated in a live show, Brian badly damaged his shoulder while practising lifts with pro partner Alex Murphy.
Alex revealed the fall was 'pretty bad' and left Brian feeling 'really anxious', with him being left fearing that the horror fall would rule him out of the contest but a physio signed him off.
"This is really frustrating for me because for weeks I've been nervous about getting here and nervous about just doing my first dress rehearsal in the studio," said the singer.
"I do it and I love it and I was so happy, so relaxed, ready to go and this stupid shoulder has literally put me right back to the start again. But now I'm nervous and I don't know what’s gonna happen."
"It's so annoying cause all the work I've put in to get here and I felt so good after the dress rehearsal, I was like, 'yes, I'm ready to go' and then now to possibly not even being able to do the show because of an injury. So annoying. So frustrating. And such a stupid thing to do as well.
"If I'd have fallen over on my skates or something, but just to have been practising lifts and pop out a shoulder is ridiculous."
Dancing on Ice 2023 starts Sunday 15th January 2023 at 6.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
