Holly Willoughby snubbed long-time co-host Phillip Schofield as she broke her silence on Dancing On Ice’s axe.Amid the show’s end, the presenter, 44, was been left without an ITV primetime show for the first time in 21 years after turning down a major job with the broadcaster.
And taking to Instagram on Thursday, Holly shared a gushing tribute for the skating show and thanked all who worked on it in the past 19 years – however, she notably failed to mention Phil, whom she hosted the show with for 13 years.
Alongside a plethora of snaps from her time hosting the ITV programme, Holly penned: ‘A huge thank you to @itv, The brilliant team, Crew, Celebrities and Everyone who has been part of our Dancing on Ice family over the last 19 years.
‘Every year, just when January felt at its greyest, Dancing on Ice arrived like a burst of glittering, dazzling light, warm, joyful, and full of heart…
‘It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside true national treasures Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and to have a front-row seat to their breathtaking skating. Watching them glide across the ice was nothing less than pure magic…
Holly Willoughby has snubbed long-time co-host Phillip Schofield as she broke her silence on Dancing On Ice’s axe
Amid the show’s end, the presenter, 44, was been left without an ITV primetime show for the first time in 21 years after turning down a major job with the broadcaster.
‘A special thanks must also go to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx and fake tan, unsung heroes of the rink! … I will miss it hugely, but I count myself so lucky to have had it for as long as we did. Finally and most importantly, thank you to you for watching, you’re the BEST! …’
While Holly featured a selection of pH๏τos which included her current co-star Stephen Mulhern, as well as judges Torvill and Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo, there were no images of Phillip, 62.
The pair fronted the very first series of the programme in 2006 until 2012, when Holly took a break and was replaced by Christine Lampard.
The series was then rested in 2014 and Holly later returned in 2018 alongside Phillip when the series was revived.
Phillip left ITV in 2023 following the revelation of his ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a much younger male colleague, with Stephen then stepping into his shoes.
The former This Morning presenters’ long-standing relationship crumbled in the wake of the affair in addition to Phillip’s brother’s trial for Sєxual offences, with the extent of their bitter feud exposed since Phil made his TV comeback in Channel 5 series Cast Away, in which he referred to Holly as ‘one of the three s***s of showbiz’.
Holly was ITV’s Golden Girl for many years and carved out her place as the fan favourite face of its top shows including This Morning and Dancing On Ice.
However, Holly now appears to be taking her TV career in a new direction as she is now without an ITV show following Dancing On Ice’s axing.
Holly shared a gushing tribute for the skating show and thanked all who worked on it – however, she notably failed to mention Phil, whom she hosted the show with for 13 years
While Holly featured a selection of pH๏τos which included Stephen Mulhern, as well as judges Torvill and Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo, there were no images of Phillip, 62
The pair fronted the very first series of the programme in 2006 until 2012, when Holly took a break and was replaced by Christine Lampard [Holly and Phil pictured in 2006]
The series was then rested in 2014 and Holly later returned in 2018 alongside Phillip when the series was revived [pictured in 2018]
Phillip left ITV in 2023 following the revelation of his ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a much younger male colleague, with Stephen then stepping into his shoes [pictured in 2023]
She recently dashed ITV’s hopes that she would be their Saturday night star by turning down a lucrative deal to front game show You Bet!.
ITV sources told the Mail she was ‘busy with other commitments’ after Holly branched out to host Celebrity Bear Hunt in her first big role away from ITV.
It is the first time that Holly has not had an ITV show on her schedule for the first time in more than two decades after becoming the broadcaster’s TV darling.
She has long been a familiar face on both ITV and ITV2, hosting on shows including Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice, The Games, The Xtra Factor and I’m A Celebrity.
Holly is arguably best known for having fronted This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield from 2009 until 2023, while she also helmed Dancing On Ice from 2006.
However, ITV viewers now won’t be able to get a dose of Holly as there has not yet been any public news of her having signed on to another project with the channel.
Holly’s post included throwback snaps from her earlier years on the show
Holly and current co-star Stephen Mulhern pictured on the programme
Read More Revealed: Dancing on Ice’s most shocking moments as ITV show’s fate is announced
MailOnline has contacted ITV and Holly’s representatives for comment.
But Holly could be looking ahead to an exciting new future with Netflix as she was said to have impressed bosses hosting new reality TV series Celebrity Bear Hunt.
Insiders recently revealed that Netflix are ‘very keen’ to work with her more on shows, which would be screened across the world after her debut on Bear Grylls’ show.
In a huge blow to ITV, Holly then turned down a lucrative deal to front a new series of the classic game show You Bet! because of her other commitments.
A source told the Mail: ‘You Bet was so popular with the viewers wished it came back for two shows that ITV bosses decided to give it a full run.
‘Holly and Stephen are a great double act and they were both brilliant so they were asked back.
‘But Holly politely declined, she has other commitments and couldn’t make it work.
‘She is in demand and now she isn’t shackled to This Morning four days a week, she is able to look at more options, some are global.
‘Celebrity Bear Hunt was a huge thing for her, her first role with Netflix and she just loved it and they loved her so there could very well be much more where that came from.
‘The world is now Holly’s oyster, there are so many opportunities for her.’
An ITV spokesman added: ‘Unfortunately Holly couldn’t commit to the dates to host the new series of You Bet!, but will hopefully appear as a guest panellist on one of the shows in the new series.’
Holly has previously worked with other major British broadcasters, co-hosting Freeze The Fear with Wim Hof alongside Lee Mack on the BBC in 2022.
Away from her TV fame, Holly – who is married to TV producer Dan Baldwin – also runs her own wellness and lifestyle brand, called Wylde Moon.
The star been left without an ITV primetime show for the first time in 21 years after Dancing On Ice’s axing (she is pictured on the show)
Holly was ITV’s Golden Girl for many years and carved out her place as the fan favourite face of its top shows including This Morning (pictured) and Dancing On Ice
She is without a show on ITV after dashing ITV’s hopes that she would be their Saturday night star by turning down a lucrative deal to front game show You Bet! with Stephen Mulhern
Her business empire is estimated to be worth £10million and she has also worked with brands including Marks & Spencer, Diet Coke and Oral B.
Holly’s career shake-up comes after it was revealed Dancing On Ice – which she co-hosts with Stephen Mulhern – has been axed, with no plans for a new series in 2026.
Following the 2025 final, rumours had been swirling that the skating show was facing the axe, after staff reportedly told that their work on the show was over.
In a statement shared with MailOnline, an ITV spokesperson then confirmed: ‘Following another successful series earlier this year, Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.
‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the cast and crew who have worked on the show since 2006, and over the previous 17 series, for all of their hard work both on and off the ice.’
Since its inception in 2006, over 200 celebrities have competed on Dancing On Ice, with approximately 100 versions of the iconic Bolero costume made for stars who performed Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s famous skate.
The axing came after Dancing On Ice pulled in its lowest ever viewing figures in show history during its 2025 finale.
Ratings were the lowest ever after Coronation Street star Sam Aston was crowned winner of the 2025 compeтιтion.
ITV sources told the Mail she was ‘busy with other commitments’ after Holly branched out to host Celebrity Bear Hunt (pictured on the show) in her first big role away from ITV
Despite the nail-biting final, the show saw just 2.7million viewers tune in – a huge decline at its peak of more than 12million.
The plummeting figures came after it was reported the show ‘would not be returning’ and staff had ‘already been told’ that their jobs are finished.
The show debuted on ITV in 2006, and former Coronation Street actress Gaynor Faye – who played Judy Mallett in the 1990s – won the inaugural series.
The format was rested in 2014 but returned to screens four years later, and has been aired in the early months of the year ever since.
Holly previously hosted the program with her former This Morning co-star Phillip before Stephen took over as her co-host.
After Dancing On Ice’s axing, Stephen will be hosting You Bet! but the search is on for his co-host after Holly turned down the offer.