© Photo: RexDancing on Ice is making an exciting return to TV in January 2018, with a total of 12 celebrities confirmed to join the line-up. Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown, who recently announced her engagement in HELLO! magazine, and I'm a Celebrity favourite Jake Quickenden are among the stars who will take to the ice in a bid to dance and dazzle their way to glory.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield of This Morning fame are also teaming up to host the popular ITV show, with Phil saying: "I'm often told how much people have missed Dancing on Ice, and with the show so fondly remembered, it's exciting for us all to now have the chance to breathe new life into the show, and of course spending an extra day of the week with Holly is the icing on the cake!"
Legendary skating duo Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean will sit on the judging panel, alongside Diversity's Ashley Banjo and Jason Gardiner. Speaking of his judging style, Jason told Lorraine: "I'm honest. As you know, I always call it as I see it. But similarly, when they're good I give them great praise."
He added: "It's one of the hardest [shows to do], I think. The commitment is intense for them. Let's not discount what they have to go through. We have seen some remarkable people come through Dancing on Ice. To see that journey is wonderful. I've really loved that."
Click through to see this year's confirmed line-up so far…
© Photo: ITVBrooke Vincent
The Coronation Street actress, who plays Sophie Webster on the soap, was the first contestant to be revealed. She announced her exciting news on This Morning, admitting that it's "killed" her to keep it a secret for so long. "I love a challenge," said Brooke. "Ice skating - what an amazing skill. I'm more impressed with the fact I can go with the girls and be like, 'I can do this, I can do that,' and they'll be holding onto the sides. I've been trying to lose a few pounds to get in them leotards."
The 25-year-old, who has already started her ice training, added: "If I get injured at least I'll look sparkly on the way to the hospital!"
© Photo: ITVCheryl Baker
The second celebrity contestant to be unveiled was Cheryl Baker, best known for singing in eighties pop group, Bucks Fizz. Cheryl, 63, has already started her training. "I wasn't feeling nervous because I didn't know what to expect. But as of yesterday, I am feeling nervous!" she said in late October. "It was hard because they were giving me all these things to do, all these movements, and I was like, 'I can't do that!'"
© Photo: ITVKem Cetinay
Love Island fans will be thrilled to hear that series winner Kem is competing in the skating show. Speaking about his participation, the reality star said: "I still can't believe I'm going to be on Dancing on Ice! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be strapping on a pair of skates and dancing in some lycra. Anyone who knows me will know how competitive I am, so I'm going to work very hard to stay on my feet! I can't wait to get my skates on!"
© Photo: ITVCandice Brown
Two stars were unveiled on BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans Show – Candice Brown and Max Evans. The Great British Bake Off winner, who's known to friends as Bambi on ice, admitted she was feeling nervous. "It's nerve-wracking!" she said in November. "I started my training today. I take my first steps on the ice later on, my friends call me Bambi on ice and that's just normal day-to-day!"
© Photo: ITVMax Evans
Max, whose brother Thom Evans competed in the 2014 series of Strictly, also featured on the Chris Evans Show. "I haven't done any skating since I was a kid and this is completely different having to skate on live television," he admitted. "I've had two training sessions which have hurt my feet a lot. We've all had a dance, which is familiar territory, but skating is so not…"
© Photo: ITVJake Quickenden
Jake was confirmed as the sixth celebrity competing in the show during a live appearance on Lorraine. The 29-year-old – who previously appeared on The X Factor in 2012 and 2014 and was runner-up in series 14 of I'm A Celebrity – admitted he was "terrified".
"I had my first training session yesterday," he told his host in October. "I was freezing! Ice is cold! But it was amazing, the coaches are unbelievable. I just feel so lucky that I've been asked to do it. I'm so buzzing, I can't even explain. It's my mum's favourite."
© Photo: ITVMonty Panesar
The seventh celebrity to be unveiled was cricketer Monty Panesar. "This is a great opportunity to keep myself fit and motivated and to try a different sport. I'm looking forward to it, it's going to be very exciting!" Monty said as the news was announced during an interview on BBC Radio Five Live.
Monty's cricket career came to an end in 2016, when he played his final season for Northamptonshire. He last played for the England in the 2013 Ashes.
© Photo: ITVAlex Beresford
Good Morning Britain weather presenter Alex Beresford announced his exciting news live from the Natural History Museum ice rink. "I literally started training on Tuesday so I'm at the beginning of my journey," he admitted. "I've wanted to do this show for ages. It's been the biggest secret I've ever kept. [My son] Cruz is seven and I told him I was doing it when I found out and I said, 'Look you've got to keep this as a big secret, you can't tell anyone' and he's not told a single person, I'm so proud of him – but now he can go and shout about it in school."
© Photo: ITVDonna Air
Donna Air – TV star and girlfriend of the Duchess of Cambridge's younger brother James Middleton – has also signed up for the 2018 series. "It's absolutely terrifying!" she said. "It's exciting though, it's looking like it's going to be a great series. It's really difficult. Apparently my posture is terrible so I've got to work on that. I need to build more core strength. My daughter's like, 'Oh no mum, you're going to be so embarrassing!'"
© Photo: ITVPerri Shakes-Drayton
British athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton will also be taking to the ice next year. Speaking about her place in the competition, 28-year-old Perri said: "It is an opportunity and I was told in the past I'd never be able to run again, and that was not nice to be told. Now that my body feels good, I've been given a challenge, an opportunity, I'm going to give it my best shot.
I came across [fellow contestant] Kem from Love Island and we saw each other at the ice rink. He saw my skills, I saw his skills… I'm better than him!" She added: "I'm most excited about the costumes!"
© Photo: ITVAntony Cotton
Coronation Street favourite Antony Cotton is swapping the cobbles for the ice skating rink. The news was confirmed in a special message aired during the soap's credits, with the 42-year-old actor saying: "I'm Antony Cotton from Coronation Street and I've got some really cool news. Dancing on Ice is back, and guess what? I'm a contestant! I better get my skates on – I've got practising to do."
© Photo: ITVStephanie Waring
The final contestant to be unveiled was Hollyoaks actress Stephanie Waring, who said: "It's quite a daunting challenge. The first day was pretty tough. I thought I'd be better than I was! I fell over once. It's very technical; it's the way you hold yourself, the positioning of your feet. Balancing is the hardest thing to do. I thought, 'Well, I can do yoga, I can obviously skate on ice…' No Steph, you can't!"
