Dancing on Ice Fans Furious After Spotting Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern’s ‘Annoying’ Habit

Viewers of Dancing on Ice were left frustrated during Sunday night’s episode as hosts Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern repeatedly reminded audiences that the show was live. The latest episode, which aired on January 19, introduced five new celebrities to the ice rink, but the constant emphasis on the live nature of the broadcast distracted some fans.

This week’s performers included EastEnders star Charlie Brooks, rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave, Mollie Pearce, Dan Edgar, and Josh Jones. Despite the impressive skating, many fans took to social media to vent about the presenters’ frequent mentions of the show being live, as reported by the Express.

One viewer joked, “Why do they keep on mentioning that they are live?! Lmao.” Another added, “We know bits are live, others are not. Why keep mentioning it?” A third commented, “Why do they keep reiterating that it’s life? WE KNOW! It’s annoying.”

In addition to the criticism of the hosts, fans were divided over a major format change this season. The traditional skate-off, where the bottom two couples had the chance to compete for survival, has been scrapped. Now, the celebrity with the lowest combined score from judges and public votes is sent home immediately.

This change didn’t sit well with many viewers, who argued it was unfair. One fan wrote, “Getting rid of the dance-off is completely unfair because it puts one group at a disadvantage to the other”, according to the Mirror. Another commented, “The other skating couple should be given an extra week to skate. It’s not fair on them being voted out so quickly when it’s their first week skating.”

While some fans enjoyed the night’s performances, the tweaks to the show’s format and the hosts’ presenting style sparked significant debate. Despite the backlash, Dancing on Ice continues to draw attention with its mix of celebrity skating, live drama, and unexpected twists.