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Phillip Schofield claims 'Strictly' is 'a walk in the park' compared to dangerous 'Dancing On Ice'

Katie Archer
·Contributor
·3-min read
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Phillip Schofield attends ITV Palooza! at The Royal Festival Hall on November 23, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Phillip Schofield says 'Dancing On Ice' is harder than 'Strictly'. (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Dancing On Ice host Phillip Schofield has claimed rival show Strictly Come Dancing is "a walk in the park" compared to the risky skating contest.

The TV star co-presents the ITV celebrity skating contest with Holly Willoughby and this time Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse will join the judging panel - but Schofield said he thought she would be surprised by how much more difficult Dancing On Ice is than the BBC show.

He said: "I love Strictly but compared to the skills that are required for Dancing On Ice it’s a walk in the park, because you have the possibility of real danger, real injury.

"You have a rink that is full of essentially blades and we know how dangerous they can be and how deeply they can cut and how sharp they are."

Read more: Sally Dynevor has WhatsApp group with Corrie's former Dancing On Ice contestants

This image and the information contained herein is strictly embargoed until 00.01 Tuesday 11th January 2022 From Lifted Entertainment Dancing on Ice: SR14 on ITV and ITV Hub Pictured: Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. This photograph is (C) ITV Plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms For further information please contact: james.hilder@itv.com / 0207 157 3052
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby present 'Dancing On Ice'. (ITV)

Schofield added that contestant Bez had already struggled on the ice: "I’ve just watched a video of Bez on his second day fall over backwards so hard that his helmet flew off. It’s one of those things but you don’t see that on Strictly.

"Dancing On Ice is really dangerous. They really all risk everything for it. We’ve seen in the past that people do get hurt and of course you want to avoid that at all cost. I think we will be wrapping Bez up in bubble wrap that’s for sure."

Talking about some of the show's previous injuries, he said: "You never want to see blood on the ice as it’s a nightmare to get out, once it freezes into it."

This image and the information contained herein is strictly embargoed from publication until 00.01 Wednesday 22nd December 2021 From Lifted Entertainment Dancing on Ice: SR14 on ITV and ITV Hub Pictured: (L-R), Oti Mabuse, Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean and Ashley Banjo. This photograph is (C) ITV Plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms For further information please contact: james.hilder@itv.com / 0207 157 3052
'Strictly' star Oti Mabuse has joined the judging panel of Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean and Ashley Banjo. (ITV)

Read more: Dancing On Ice 2022's confirmed celebrities

Mabuse has joined the ITV show in place of John Barrowman, who has left his judging role and was recently accused of sexual harassment during his time starring in Torchwood.

Schofield said: "I adore John and obviously we will miss that larger than life personality, but in every panel you want to make sure each area is well and truly serviced.

"Oti will definitely be the one to pick them up on their dancing and their dancing skills and that’s really important."

Schofield acknowledged 2021's disaster series of Dancing On Ice which lost five contestants to illness and injury, forcing it to take a break mid-series and finish a week early, as he said: "With a little bit of luck we will make it through unscathed as it’s no secret we really struggled to get it on air last year.

"But we’re back, we are confident and the line-up is amazing. I am led to believe that the standard of some of the skating is amazing so I think we will have a real competition on our hands this year."

Watch: Dancing On Ice 2022 trailer