Phillip Schofield has assured Dancing on Ice fans that Christine Bleakley is "excited" about Holly Willoughby's return to the hit ITV skate show and that there are no hard feelings between them. This Morning co-presenters, Phillip and Holly, are being reunited next year on Dancing on Ice for the first time since 2011, when mother-of-three Holly took a break from presenting duties to present The Voice. At the time Phillip handpicked their close friend Christine Bleakley to take her spot until 2014, when the show ended.
"Holly and Dan, Christine and Frank, myself and Steph, we are mates, we go out together. Holly left to do The Voice, I said I wanted Christine to do it, I said 'that's the only person I want to do it with' and Christine came in and she was given such a hard time, she really struggled. […] She is one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life, there is nobody on television that is more thoughtful than Christine Bleakley."
© Photo: RexPhillip and Christine presented Dancing on Ice together from 2011 until 2014
Asked if there are any hard feeling now that Holly is returning, Phillip revealed her reaction had been of excitement. "When it was announced that Holly was coming back to do the show, the first person who texted was Christine who said 'oh my god this is so exciting, please tell me I can come and watch.'"
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Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby presented the first ever Dancing on Ice show back in 2006 and have been close friends ever since. The pair have an undeniable chemistry, recently confessing that their relationship is something close to marriage. Speaking at the launch of the hit ITV skate show, which starts on 7 January, the 52-year-old sang Holly's praises and revealed that he feels very lucky to work with her.
© Photo: RexPhillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby pictured in 2006
Speaking about having to be reunited with Holly one extra day a week to present Dancing on Ice on Sundays, Phillip said: "The amount of time we spend together is not a problem, we haven’t even had a tiff let alone a row, we just don’t argue ever, that doesn’t happen so there is no issue spending time together."
The presenter then went on to explain that for him, Holly is "family". "It's like I say, she is my younger sister or best mate. That's family."
