Dancing on Ice contestant Michaela Strachan has been praised by viewers for her showstopping performance during the show’s launch on Sunday night (12 January).
Receiving a score of 30.5 out of 40, the Springwatch presenter topped the leaderboard and has already been predicted to be the “first female Dancing on Ice winner in 12 years”, according to one fan on Twitter/X.
Her success comes shortly after she suffered an ankle injury just weeks before training began, and was left on crutches.
But this setback did not seem to impact her performance, with the TV presenter stealing the heart of the nation with her impressive rendition of “Let’s Do It” from Cole Porter, joined by her skating pro partner Mark Hanretty.
Fans quickly took to X to show their support of Strachan, naming her a “dark horse”. One said: “Michaela did so good and slayed she then gets a 30.5 CHEERS EVERYONE.”
One user wrote: “THIS WAS EXCEPTIONAL! The speed, the flow, the coverage of the ice, the transitions, the extensions into the finger tips, the pizazz, YOU ARE THE ONE TO BEAT!”
Another wrote: “Without a doubt the best performance of the night! Michaela looked so confident tonight. Great speed and synchronisation on the ice. Fast and full of content. Definitely my kind of skate.”
Fans of the hit ITV show are already predicting Strachan’s success, with @cazcoup1 sharing on X: “Michaela is already my winner… #DancingOnIce”
@1Adnan_Ali wrote on the platform: “She might be out of her habitat, but Michaela is a natural on the ice with Mark.”
Hosts Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern have returned to present the popular ITV show, which sees celebrities paired with professional ice skaters preforming routines to judges Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo.
This series will feature 11 new celebrity contestants, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Coronation Street star Sam Aston and former Traitors contestants Mollie Pearce.
Admitting that competing on the ice is “a bit out of my comfort zone”, Strachan said: “This is a girl that’s used to thermals, woolly hats, scarves and proper walking boots, so this is very different.” However, she told the MailOnline that “it’s great when you’re a bit older and you are able to push yourself out of your comfort zone.”
Dancing On Ice returned to screens on Sunday 12 January at 6.30pm, live on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
