RATINGS! Dancing On Ice’s new series launches with big viewing figures

Dancing On Ice 2019 made its big launch on ITV last night as the brand new series kicked off.

Legendary skating duo Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean reunited with original hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on the show that sees celebrity skaters take to the ice in a bid to dance and dazzle their way to glory.

Having originally run on ITV between 2006 and 2014, the series was first rebooted last year.

Following big ratings, another series was quickly recommissioned and the 2019 series kicked off last night to 6.5 million viewers.

Reality favourite Gemma Collins and Grease star Didi Conn are among the twelve famous faces joining the eleventh series. Soap stars Jane Danson, Richard Blackwood and Mark Little, ex-Strictly star James Jordan, cricketer Ryan Sidebottom and TV host Saira Khan will take to the ice.

Westlife’s Brian McFadden, Love Island’s Wes Nelson, singer Saara Aalto and Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton complete the line-up.

The episode peaked with an audience more than 7 million for its two hour long show between 6PM and 8PM that saw the first half of the celebrity skaters perform for the judges.

No celebrity went home, but one did end up bottom of the scoreboard and viewer vote. They go forward to the first skate off next weekend, against the bottom ranked celebrity from those still to perform.

Dancing On Ice was the highest rated TV show of the weekend, eclipsing Michael McIntyre, The Voice UK and The Greatest Dancer’s numbers from Saturday night.

Following Dancing On Ice last night, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire concluded its latest series with a high of more than 5 million viewers.

It was the most watched episode of six to air over the past week and ITV have announced a new run will air in March.

In the 9PM hour, new ITV drama Manhunt triumphed over Les Misérables on BBC One with 6 million viewers to 3.6 million.