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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Jasmine Allday

Holly Willoughby forced to miss Dancing On Ice tonight after testing positive for Covid

Holly Willoughby will miss Dancing On Ice tonight after testing positive for Covid.

The This Morning presenter will be unable to host the show tonight alongside Phillip Schofield after testing positive for the virus - but she will make a return for the live final in two weekends' time.

It is another blow for the ITV show, as earlier in the series, Phil was forced to miss the ITV skating show after getting a positive test, and he also missed a number of This Morning shows. Stephen Mulhern stepped into replace him at the time.

However, it seems no one else will replace Holly, with tonight's Dancing On Ice semi-final instead just being hosted by Phillip.

Holly and Phil have presented the show together for years (Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

A spokesperson for Dancing on Ice said: "Unfortunately, Holly Willoughby is unable to host tonight's show after testing positive for Covid-19. We look forward to Holly returning for the Dancing on Ice Live Final."

Phil missed an episode of the show earlier this series, with Stephen Mulhern stepping into Phil's shoes.

He had announced on the Monday evening that he had tested positive for the virus and was hoping to make it out of isolation in time, but more positive Covid tests meant he had to miss the episode.

Stephen Mulhern, 44, stepped in to host alongside Holly Willoughby (Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Holly had a new presenting partner for one day (Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

At the time, Stephen - who is currently recovering well after a mystery illness - admitted it was "big shoes to fill".

"I’m very much looking forward to being back hosting alongside my good friend Holly this weekend. It’s big shoes to fill and I’m wishing Phillip a speedy recovery," he shared in a statement after The Mirror exclusively revealed he would be Phil's replacement, "I’m a big fan of Dancing on Ice and for one night only I’m thrilled to be rink side watching the action unfold. It’s going to be unbelievable!"

It comes after Holly praised her presenting partner Phil for making her always feel "at ease".

Holly and Phil also host This Morning together (ITV)

Speaking about their friendship and close bond, Holly told The Mirror and other press: "They're different shows and that's what's so nice about it. There's a real ease when we work together. It's not like you're going in like, oh we just need to find our feet or rhythm, it's an absolute given. It's nice to be doing something a bit different but still together."

"It's lovely and I adore Holly completely and absolutely and so to be able to joke around together in the mornings - and there's no question that This Morning is a different sort of style of show to this one," Phil added.

"It's a shiny show, it's a big glitzy, wonderfully produced and gorgeous looking show. So yeah, it's nice to have a mate."

In the semi-final tonight, the remaining celebs will perform two skates in the hope of making it through to the next stage of the competition, which will air in two weekends' time.

*Dancing On Ice returns to screens tonight at 7:30pm on ITV and ITV Hub.

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