Dancing on Ice has confirmed the pairings for next year’s line-up of stars as they have started rehearsals for the ice skating competition on ITV.
Former The Only Way is Essex star Joey Essex has landed former champ Vanessa Bauer, after the star was confirmed in the celebrity cast for this series.
The 32-year-old shared his excitement in a joint post with Vanessa on Instagram this afternoon as the pair posed for beaming snaps during training.
They penned: "Ice to meet you!" as the reality star posed next to the 26-year-old ice skater, who won the ITV show in 2018 with X Factor star Jake Quickenden.
Jake immediately backed them to take home the 2023 trophy, writing beneath their post: "Could have called it. Go get them trophies!"
Vanessa has seen three of her male celebrity skating buddies suffer break-ups after hitting the rink with her, with Jake as well as Wes Nelson and Emmerdale ’s Joe-Warren Plant.
The reality TV personality, who rose to fame as part of The Only Way Is Essex, told ITV’s This Morning : “I would love to win. I’m going to put all my energy into this. This stage in my life, I’m so ready for this.”
Since stepping away from Towie in 2013, the 32-year-old has been a feature on many other reality TV shows, including I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Celebrity MasterChef and Celebs Go Dating.
He also fronted two of his own shows, Educating Joey Essex, which was narrated by This Morning star Phillip Schofield and saw him interview political heavyweights, and Joey Essex: Grief And Me, a BBC documentary about him losing his mother at a young age.
Elsewhere on the rink, Love Island 2022 victor Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has been paired up with professional ice skater Brendyn Hatfield, in his third time on the show.
The Turkish actress shared the news to her Instagram stories in a clip with Brendyn in which the pair dubbed themselves the ‘dream team’.
After only entering the limelight earlier this year as the winner of ITV’s hit dating show Love Island, Ekin-Su was the third celebrity contestant confirmed for Dancing On Ice.
The 28-year-old actress from Essex won the eighth series of the programme alongside Italian business owner Davide Sanclimenti in the summer.
In a video revealing her participation, the TV star said: “I can’t wait to get myself on the ice and skate. Stay tuned, and see you on the ice.”
Meanwhile, ice skating pro Matt Evers is returning and will glide onto the rink with ex EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer, The Sun reports.
With 11 celebrities in total, The Wanted band member Siva Kaneswaran is also amongst those confirmed that will be getting their skates on for the ITV competition.
He joins former popstar Michelle Heaton, football legend John Fashanu, olympic gymnast Nile Wilson, Coronation Street ’s Mollie Gallagher, drag queen and TV personality The Vivienne, comedian and Love Island Aftersun host Darren Harriott and Carley Stenson.
