Brendan Cole and Kimberly Wyatt have topped the Dancing On Ice leaderboard while Happy Mondays dancer Bez finished at the bottom after descending to the rink on giant maracas.
The new series of Dancing On Ice got under way, with six of the competition’s 12 couples making their debut on the ITV skating competition on Sunday night.
Opening the ITV programme, co-host Phillip Schofield, 59, said: “Welcome to the greatest show on ice, it is so good to have an audience back.”
The expert judging panel includes former Olympic ice dancing champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, alongside Diversity choreographer Ashley Banjo and professional dancer Oti Mabuse, who is the newest addition.
After all the celebrities had performed, it was revealed that broadcaster Ria Hebden will be returning next week to battle it out in the skate-off.
Professional dancer Cole was the first celebrity to take to the ice, scoring 30.5 with the “best first dance” the series has seen with skating partner Vanessa Bauer.
The 45-year-old was close to tears after he finished the performance to Black Betty by Ram Jam, adding: “There was a lot of pressure coming in opening the show, I could feel my heart… I thought you could hear it through my microphone.”
Head judge Dean, 63, said: “That is the best first dance I have seen by a contestant in 14 series.”
Also performing in week one was Happy Mondays dancer Bez, who is partnered with reigning skating champion Angela Egan, and Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor who is partnered with Matt Evers.
Bez descended into the rink on a pair of giant maracas, scoring 12.5 for his performance.
The maraca-shaking dancer, real name Mark Berry, is the first contestant on the show to wear a helmet for his own protection.
The 57-year-old, who is famed for his on-stage antics as part of Madchester-era band Happy Mondays, told the judges he was wearing protective clothing from head to toe.
Olympic skating champion Dean added: “You get a point for turning up, a point for standing up, and a point for that jump.
“It is not about how you fall, it is about how you get up and you get up every time.”
And THAT is how you open a show. Give it up for our amazing professional skaters #DancingOnIce pic.twitter.com/7WQnjwSrBO
— Dancing on Ice (@dancingonice) January 16, 2022
Actress Dynevor, who plays Sally Metcalfe in the long-running ITV soap, scored 23, skating to She’s Always A Woman by Billy Joel.
The 58-year-old said: “I have been in fight or flight mode for the last two days.”
Panellist Dean explained he had his finger over the 6 button before her stumble on the ice pushed her overall score down.
Torvill added: “Your technique is really, really good, exactly on point.”
Also performing live was Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt and professional Mark Hanretty, Olympian Kye Whyte with new professional Tippy Packard, and TV presenter Ria Hebden with skater Lukasz Rozycki.
Wyatt scored 30 in her first routine on Dancing On Ice, performing to Pink’s What About Us with partner Mark Hanretty.
After her performance, the American singer and dancer said the experience has been amazing and it is lovely to “stretch my limbs and dance.”
New judge Mabuse, 31, said the routine was “stunning” while Banjo added: “It is the dream couple, I am most excited about you guys and what you can create choreographically.”
Olympic silver medallist Whyte exploded on to the ice riding a BMX bike and scored 24 for his routine to Dizzee Rascal’s Bonkers.
Th 22-year-old is partnered with a new Dancing On Ice professional, figure skater Tippy Packard, who is a three-time Hong Kong champion.
Whyte, who won Britain’s first BMX Olympic medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the summer, said: “I was super scared, I have come a long way.”
Banjo said that he had done a “great job for a week one”.
Hebden, 39, a regular presenter of the entertainment slot on ITV’s Lorraine, skated to Harry Styles’ Treat People With Kindness scoring 24.5.
Mabuse told the TV presenter that she had an “infectious energy” while Torvill added: “I love that you smiled the whole way through, you gave a great performance.”
The TV presenter said she was “gutted” when co-host Holly Willoughby, 40, revealed she will have to perform in the skate-off next week.
The professional dancers opened the show to a classic routine to Rhythm Is A Dancer by Snap! and closed the show with a dramatic fiery performance to Imagine Dragons’ Warriors.
Dancing On Ice continues on Sundays on ITV.
