- Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com
Dancing On Ice‘s 2025 winner and pro Molly Lanaghan opened up about how devastated she’d be if the show didn’t return, just hours before ITV announced its axe after 19-years last week.
The skater, 26, who triumphant in this year’s competition alongside Corrie’s Sam Aston, 31, described the series as her ‘priority’ and said she was gearing up to return in 2026.
Following the final earlier this month, rumours had been swirling that the skating show was facing the axe amid plummeting ratings, before ITV finally confirming the news in a statement.
Speaking to The Sun Molly, who only joined the show this year, insisted audiences ‘loved’ the series and ‘how sad’ it would be if was given the chop.
She said: ‘I’d 100 per cent like to go back to [Dancing On Ice] if the show returns. It would be really sad if it didn’t come back because everyone loves the show’.
‘But I think there is a space for Dancing On Ice, everyone loves it, It’s so exciting, seeing the celebrities is so hard what they do, so just seeing them put the hard work in and have passion in it.
Dancing On Ice ‘s 2025 winner and pro Molly Lanaghan (L) opened up about how devastated she’d be if the show didn’t return, just hours before ITV announced its axe after 19-years
The skater, 26, who triumphant in this year’s competition alongside Corrie’s Sam Aston , 31, described the series as her ‘priority’ and said she was gearing up to return in 2026
Speaking about her future she told the publication: ‘I’m speaking to a few different things, but I’m seeing if Dancing On Ice comes back, because if it does come back that will be my priority’.
It comes after Richard Osman revealed what he believes is the real reason ITV decided to once again ‘rest’ the competition series instead off axing the beleaguered show once and for all.
The presenter and TV producer, 54, took to X to share his insight after bosses announced the news, much like in 2014 when the competition was ‘rested’ after eight years on TV, only to return in 2019.
On a story about the show, Richard, who was previously creative director of the television production company Endemol UK, commented: ‘If you “cancel” it then within 12 months it can be sold to another channel, if you “rest” it then it can’t!’.
Meaning rival broadcasters would be unable to reboot the long running show and leaving ITV the option to bring it back in the future.
MailOnline contacted ITV for comment.
In a statement shared with MailOnline, an ITV spokesperson said: ‘Following another successful series earlier this year, Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.
‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the cast and crew who have worked on the show since 2006, and over the previous 17 series, for all of their hard work both on and off the ice.’
Molly, who only joined the show this year, insisted audiences ‘loved’ the series and ‘how sad’ it would be if was given the chop.
She said: ‘I’d 100 per cent like to go back to [Dancing On Ice] if the show returns. It would be really sad if it didn’t come back because everyone loves the show’
Following the final earlier this month, rumours had been swirling that the skating show was facing the axe amid plummeting ratings, before ITV finally confirming the news in a statement
Dancing On Ice pulled in its lowest ever viewing figures in show history during its 2025 finale, after Coronation Street star Sam was crowned winner of the competition.
Despite the nail-biting final, the show saw just 2.7million viewers tune in – a huge decline at its peak of more than 12million.
Meanwhile host Stephen Mulhern has renewed his contract with the broadcaster, with his schedule already packed with a string of ITV shows.
Stephen’s close ties with the channel are in stark contrast to his Dancing On Ice co-star Holly Willoughby‘s future, as it’s revealed that she is without an ITV primetime show for the first time in 21 years.
An insider has revealed of Stephen’s ITV career: ‘His 2025 schedule is already packed, with Celebrity Catchphrase and Deal or No Deal continuing to be solid favourites.’
The Sun report that he is also launching a brand-new travel show, Accidental Tourist, later this year, whilst he is also hoping for a second series of the You Bet! revival.
ITV sources told the Mail Holly was ‘busy with other commitments’ after she branched out to host Celebrity Bear Hunt in her first big role away from ITV.
A source told the Mail: ‘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.
Meanwhile host Stephen Mulhern has renewed his contract with the broadcaster, with his schedule already packed with a string of ITV shows
Stephen’s close ties with the channel are in stark contrast to his DOI co-star Holly Willoughby, as it’s revealed she has been left without an ITV primetime show for the first time in 21 years
Holly has quit the ITV revival of You Bet! after just one series, with the hunt on to find Stephen a replacement co-host
‘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.’
An ITV spokesman added: ‘Unfortunately Holly couldn’t commit to the dates to host the new series of You Bet!, but will hopefully appear as a guest panellist on one of the shows in the new series.’
Holly was ITV’s Golden Girl for many years and carved out her place as the fan favourite face of its top shows including This Morning and Dancing On Ice.
However, the presenter appears to be taking her TV career in a new direction as she is now without an ITV show following Dancing On Ice’s axing.
It is the first time that Holly has not had an ITV show on her schedule for the first time in more than two decades after becoming the broadcaster’s TV darlin