Dancing On Ice introduce major shake-up as skate-off 'axed' from show this weekend
Dancing on Ice is returning this weekend for its third episode of the series and first instalment in which all contestants will be performing.
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Dancing on Ice will reportedly see a major change this week as the dreaded skate-off is being removed from the ITV favourite. The remaining couples will all take to the ice in a first for the series as the show slides into Movie Week.
It doesn't mean the stars will be able to relax too much though as one couple will still be booted from the ITV show. A source told MailOnline the elimination will be done differently this coming weekend.
They told the publication: "This weekend we don't have a skate-off at the end of the show. Whoever is at the bottom after the judges scores and viewers votes will leave the competition."
Express.co.uk has contacted ITV for confirmation on the shake-up. It comes after Ricky Hatton's exit last Sunday, leading some fans to complain he was "robbed".
The 45-year-old left the show with partner Robin Johnstone after being in the skate-off against Lou Saunders. However, fans took to social media to claim that Ricky was wrongly booted off.
The former boxer shared his disappointment about being the first to leave as he admitted he felt"gutted to be going home".
"I've tried to be a winner in all my life in everything I've done," he added.
"It's been a while since I saw the second round!"
Ahead of his Dancing on Ice debut, the father-of-three revealed that he was “dreading” taking to the ice for the first time.
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Speaking to Express.co.uk and other outlets before his week one debut, Ricky said: “I was dreading it, we had the masterclass and Torvill and Dean were in the middle of the ice rink.
“You had to skate out to the middle bearing in mind, at that time I’d not done two steps, never mind go to the middle."
The voting has also changed for the current series. There are now no phone-ins available, with viewers instead urged to download the free app to save their favourite famous faces.
These votes, combined with judges' scores, make up the leaderboard for the 2024 series.
Dancing on Ice continues on Sunday at 6.20pm on ITV.