Stephen Mulhern has been on our TV screens for many years, but the Dancing on Ice presenter is feeling the pressure like never before – and it’s all because of his co-host Holly Willoughby.
The 46-year-old was worried about “looking like an idiot” if he wore something that clashed with his glamorous colleague’s clothes. The solution? They exchange WhatsApp messages to co-ordinate their outfits ahead of each show. “I say to Holly: ‘What are you wearing this week?’ so we can get a bit of a colour scheme going on,” Stephen told HELLO! at London’s Toy Fair, where he was promoting Big Sky Games, a company he owns with his brother.
© ShutterstockHe said he had been clueless about how passionate Dancing on Ice’s fans are about his co-star’s style: “I didn’t realise how much they love what Holly wears and that they watch the show because of all that.”
As a result, he gets a “heads-up” from her each week so he can meticulously plan his outfit. “You can’t get away with the same suit or even the same colour. It’s got to be literally accompanying what Holly is wearing because otherwise, I’m going to look like an idiot.”
© GettyDespite the sartorial stress, Stephen was “loving” being reunited on screen with his good friend of 20 years, a “dream partner”, he told us. When asked to list her best qualities, he didn’t hesitate for a moment: “She is beautiful and she has a great sense of humour. She’s caring. I think she’s an amazing mum. For me, she’s the complete package. She’s an amazing friend. We’re there for each other.”
The two first worked together in 2004, when they were “finding our feet”, on children’s TV show Holly & Stephen’s Saturday Showdown, which ran for two years. “Now it’s gone full circle and it really is very, very special,” Stephen said. “It’s giving me goosebumps just talking about it.”
© ShutterstockThey have both come a long way since those early days and now have proved a hit with Dancing on Ice viewers. And, he told us, sharing the screen with anyone else was never on the cards. “Would I have done the show without Holly? I don’t think I would. And interestingly, I don’t think she would have either.”
That said, the chance to work with his good friend wasn’t the only big draw. Stephen said watching the contestants learn something new was exciting, too.
© Getty“I love Strictly Come Dancing, I think it’s amazing. I love I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, it’s a brilliant show,” he said. “But on Dancing on Ice, you learn such a good skill.”
Nor was he averse to the idea of putting on skates and having a go himself. “Am I going to try the ice? I’ve put it out there. [Judge] Christopher Dean heard I was talking about it, so if the producers will let me, I’ll be on the ice soon,” he said with a laugh.
