Dancing on Ice pro breaks silence on show’s huge format change – and reveals bizarre way stars calm their nerves

A DANCING On Ice pro skater has broken their silence on the show’s major format shakeup ahead of the new series.

Earlier this week The Sun revealed how ITV bosses have given the dreaded skate off an overhaul for 2025.

The bottom two couples who find themselves skating for survival will no longer have to perform an entirely new routine.

Just like their rival Strictly, the stars will now perform an old routine in a bid to impress the judges.

Professional skater Colin Grafton has told The Sun the change is “great” and means there’s more time to focus on getting their main routine perfect.

He said: “You know what, I think it’s great.

“So what will happen is, if you are in the bottom two and you have to do a skate off, then you have a chance to then redo your routine that you did on the night, which is awesome.

“It’s not a whole brand new second number, because sometimes that can be quite a lot to learn a new number each week plus have another skate off routine.”

Colin – who is paired with The Traitors star Mollie Pearce – added: “I think this is actually a really good change and we can work on making that routine like the best, the best it can be.”

Since Graziano Di Prima was axed from Strictly Come Dancing over claims he kicked Zara McDermott during training, there has been a renewed focus on duty of care for performers.

ITV has installed a 24-hour hotline so its DOI cast can speak out “without fear of abuse”.

Insiders said officials on the Sunday night ITV hit had sent its 12 celebrities a six-page letter warning that the show could leave them “physically and mentally drained”.

Dancing On Ice returns to ITV1 this January with Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern once again at the helm.