Dancing on Ice host Holly Willoughby QUITS ITV show in major snub to Stephen Mulhern

DANCING on Ice host Holly Willoughby has QUIT ITV’s You Bet! after just one series.

Stephen Mulhern will present solo when the revamped series returns later this year.

Stephen Mulhern and Holly Willoughby presenting a Dancing on Ice award.
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Stephen Mulhurn and Holly Willoughby on tonight’s Dancing on Ice finalCredit: Rex

Screenshot of Holly Willoughby and Declan Donnelly on a game show.
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Holly and Stephen presenting YouBet! in December
ITV confirmed You Bet! will be back with new episodes following the successful relaunch last year.

An ITV spokesman told TV Zone: “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.”

The iconic 80s gameshow saw competitors take on strange challenges as a panel of celebrity guests gambled on their success.

Rob Beckett, Alison Hammond, Harry Redknapp and Rosie Ramsey made up the star gamblers as contestants vied for a £10,000 prize.

Challenges included one couple identifying different types of cactus just by licking them.

Another challenge was identifying different board games by the sounds they make when they are emptied from their boxes.

The likes of Bruce Forsyth, Matthew Kelly and Darren Day previously fronted the show on their own.

You Bet! was a homecoming for Holly as she returned to ITV with her first new format since she left This Morning.

It was hoped the show would cement her partnership with Dancing on Ice co-star Stephen Mulhern as the new golden hosting couple of the most popular commercial broadcaster.

The Sun revealed last night that Dancing on Ice ‘faces the axe in just days’ – with insiders saying bosses will make a decision on the show’s future this week.

While Dancing on ice once enjoyed viewing figures of 12million, just a quarter of those watched as Corrie’s Sam Aston, 31, was crowned winner of this year’s series.

A source said: “The staffers on Dancing On Ice are saying the show is over and claim they’ve been told as much.

“It’s a mainstay of ITV’s schedule and viewing figures are remarkably less than they were but they still had almost three million watch the launch show.

“There’s no denying, though, that the format has become tired and they’re not getting the big names they once did.

“Changes are needed and it’s likely it’ll be rested and given a new lease of life.”

The source added: “The show’s future hinges on the meetings that follow last night’s finale.

“Dancing On Ice is an expensive production and there are questions over whether ITV is getting bang for its buck.

The uncertainty over the show’s future comes as pro skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean announced their retirement.

The Olympic champions will soon hang up their blades after 50 years of incredible performances when they take to the road for a UK arena tour titled Our Last Dance.

The show skated onto our screens in 2006, but ended after its ninth run in 2014. It returned four years later.