[Suze]

Link to the Daily Morror News Item dated 9th February, 2013

The ice axe: Dancing on Ice faces the chop as ratings slump

Flagship ITV show in trouble despite splashing out on stars

Dancing on Ice is on the skids after being trumped last week… by Countryfile.

Insiders say ITV bosses are *considering *dropping the flagship show because the latest series has had some of the poorest viewing figures since it began in 2006.

The Sunday Mirror can reveal DoI has lost half of its viewers since the first series when 13 million tuned in to see Gaynor Faye triumph.

An ITV spokesman insisted *yesterday they were “planning” for the show to return again in 2014.”

But a TV source said: “There’s been a lot of chatter on set that there will not be a ninth series. The *powers that be are unimpressed with viewing figures, *especially considering how much it costs to produce... they don’t know what to do.”

Problems with the show, hosted by Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley, *surfaced last year when ratings hit an all-time low of*6.4 *million viewers.

But, rather than *pulling the plug, bosses decided to plough in vast sums of cash in a bid to turn the show around.

They brought back Jason Gardiner as a judge after he quit the previous year and forked out a *record-breaking £150,000 for Pamela Anderson.

But the former Baywatch star was kicked off in the first episode, *meaning she was paid £1,000 a second for her time on the ice. Last Sunday’s spectacular was watched by 6.73 million and was beaten in the ratings by BBC One’s Countryfile. The DoI *results show fell even further, *attracting a poor 5.4 million.

DoI’s position was weakened when it ditched its *previously lucrative UK and *Ireland tour. This was blamed on the recession but many believe it was due to a slump in popularity.

The source said: “The format was a gamble but it turned into a success story. The first final with 13 million viewers was an *incredible *achievement and ended up being the third-highest rated show of 2006.

“Those kinds of figures were *maintained for the next few years and DoI became one of ITV’s flagship programmes.

“Even when viewing figures *started to slip a little bit, there was no sense of panic but last year was a cause for concern. The first show launched with a *respectable 8.4 million, but lost two* million *viewers halfway through the *series.

“To be fair to ITV, they refused to be *defeated and ploughed a huge amount of *money into thisyear’s show.

“They got rid of Louie Spence from the panel and brought back Jason, who has *definitely added spice.

“Then they paid their highest-ever celebrity fee to bring in Pamela, but that was an absolute disaster.

“They even had a celebrity *romance between Samia Ghadie and Sylvain Longchambon, which usually boosts ratings, but that had no effect.

“It will be a big decision for ITV, because 6.7 million viewers is not to be sniffed at in this day and age.

“But the Sunday-night slot is as primetime as it gets and they’d be expecting more people to tune in.

“A show like Downton Abbey was consistently topping 10 million *viewers and the X Factor results show does the same.

“Getting beaten by Countryfile is not good news and will have been a bit of a wake-up call at ITV.”

Karen Barber's rinkside seat

It’s love week and we’ve tried our best to bring the romance to the ice – but for Joe Pasquale, it’s just never going to happen.

When I look at him he makes me laugh. He has a naturally funny face.

One celebrity who has had a big breakthrough is Gareth Thomas.

In the past, he’s found it difficult to show emotion. But this week his number is slow, romantic, and it’s clear he cares about skate partner Robin Johnstone. In training, Beth Tweddle had a fall and practically bounced off the ice. It shook her up, but she’s tough. And I’m worried about Matt Lapinskas – he’s had three days of sickness.

In my opinion, neither he or Shayne Ward should have been in the skate-off. It’s important people vote for talent at this stage.

No one is safe. I’ve learnt to expect the unexpected...

[Gstar]

Why did I just read all of this and I don't even watch DOI

What a calamity though, I thought they had more viewers than that

[Munchkins]

If this happens, i dont want to live anymore

[Vanessa]

Oh no! I love the show!

[Munchkins]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

Oh no! I love the show!

WHat will we do Vanessa

[Saph]

6.4 isn't that bad.. better than anything BB can get

[Jordan.]

I don't know why Strictly does great but not DOI, it's basically the same thing except there's more chance of someone dying on this show

[arista]

Thats only a Guess

Its No Fact

So it is still on Contract

[Marcus.]

nooooooooooooooooooooo like

[arista]

Originally Posted by Munchkins

If this happens, i dont want to live anymore

This is Only the Mirror.

Not Fact

[Munchkins]

DOI is vastly superior to SCD imo

[arista]

Its just the Mirror
hype.

If they get Bigger Stars
next time - then its bigger

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by Saph

6.4 isn't that bad.. better than anything BB can get

Not really the same lol

[MTVN]

Well Countryfile is a much better show

[reece(:]

I think it's had it's time.

[Suze]

Arista is right. Didn't mean to worry diehard fans of it I posted the news item up, but it doesn't mean the show will be axed for sure. That is why I put 'could' in the thread title. It could be merely Mirror speculation. I posted it though incase there was a grain of truth in it. Shows can't run forever, so in time it will get axed for sure, but whether that is next year or say ten years we won't know for sure unless we get conformation of it. Sorry again for worrying some of you

[bananarama]

I am watching the series ...just....This year I think is by far the weakest series of all. The viewers unfortunately keep in the bad skaters/clowns for far too long which means losing potential talent that could make the series worth watching.

ITV have i think lost the plot a bit along with many voters. Is it a skating competition or is it a personality contest. Inevitably it will be a bit of both but by introducing extrovert funny men diverts attention from what I believe should be the main purpose of the show......A skating competition.......

ITV need to calm down the type of fun skaters they ask to appear and concentrate on skating abilities......Comediens are fine on comedy shows not so good on shows like dancing on ice when they have absolute zero talent at skating

If ITV want to keep the show running with healthy ratings they need to remember the plot......That being it is primarily a skating competition and not a forum for idiots wobbling round on skates......week after week after week..

It's that that is killing the show and the voters bear a big part of that responsibility by keeping talentless skater in just because they crack a few jokes here and there......

Once upon a time I used to wait keenly for the start of a show now I record it and skip through the adverts and all the pointless chatter bits between skates..... I think this year in particular Torvell and Dean are doing less skating appearances........Perhaps age is catching up........Their show dances were always a reason for viewing now there is little of that to watch......shame......

Got that off my chest.....

[Mystic Mock]

The problem with DOI is that they had too many bland male winners that we knew was gonna win from the start, I mean come on was anyone surprised when Jorgie or Laura lost to Matthew and Sam? I wasn't as the two guys was given the pimp slots and the best scores despite not being at there best some weeks (or in Sam's case he was off form every week) and sadly it's trying to turn itself around this year by making it a competition again but it's too little to late it seems, plus a lot of the contestants are bland this year.

[Annie]

The problem they have is that the hot male guys are not topless and they get too close to the female skaters and the voting population, mainly women, do not like it and do not vote and then keep the sad losers in that cannot skate.