Rumours persist within the TV industry that this 17th will be the last ever series as ratings fall – and Olympic gold winners Jayne and Chris are also retiring from Dancing On Ice

Dancing On Ice head judges Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have admitted that even they do not know if the show will end after the new series.

The ITV programme returns to screens in the New Year, teaching celebrities to skate. But rumours persist within the TV industry that this 17th will be the last ever series as ratings fall. And Olympic gold winners Jayne and Chris are also retiring from the rink.

They will skate on screen this series, then will do a final tour next year before hanging up their skates. It means Dancing On Ice would lose one of its big draws, even though the pair could stay on as coaches and judges if the programme did continue.

The pair said they would ‘love’ for Dancing On Ice to continue ( 
Image:
PA)

Jayne and Christopher will skate on screen this series, then will do a final tour next year before hanging up their skates ( 
Image:
PA)
Asked about the security of the show’s future, Chris said: “By the end of the series we’ll know.” Jayne, 67, said: “It’s year by year…” Chris, 66, added: “We would love the show to continue. It’s been a renaissance for us. It started 2006 so it’s almost 20 years of our life as well. We’ve been doing Dancing On Ice longer than we did as competitors.”

And Jayne agreed, saying: “We were part of it from the beginning.” Last series, one episode managed just 2.9 million viewers, a far cry from the 12 million it got at its peak. It is also now the only show Holly Willoughby, 43, hosts for ITV and she is reportedly keen to try new things.

However, show bosses still hope it can be a hit and the new contestants, who include Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave, 62, and Coronation Street actor Sam Aston, 31, have already got their skates on. Last week the first pictures emerged of the new ice dancers training. Towie star Dan Edgar, 34, showed off his strength as he practised a series of daring lifts with his professional partner Vanessa James Amoros.

Ferne McCann, 34, was also spotted executing a lift on the ice with her partner Brendyn Hatfield, and former footballer Anton Ferdinand, 39, appeared deep in concentration as his partner Annette Dytrt helped to correct his form. Jayne and Chris’s comments came as they promoted their swansong tour, Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance.

Chris said: “It’s a different show from anything we’ve done before, because it’s going to be like a life story from the beginning when we met, and throughout our career, some iconic moments. We want it to be a celebration.” Jayne added: “We’ll be creating our versions of the routines that we won competitions in.”