Joey Essex asks for skater's number in Dancing On Ice teaser as schedule shake up revealed

Joey Essex is caught asking for his skating partner's number in a first look at the new series of Dancing On Ice.

The ITV skating show is back for a brand new series this weekend, with Darren Harriott and The Vivienne, Mollie Gallagher, John Fashanu, Carley Stenson, Patsy Palmer, Michelle Heaton, Nile Wilson, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Siva Kaneswaran as well as the former TOWIE star all taking to the ice in a bid to be crowned this year's champion.

In a first look clip, Joey - who has been romantically linked to his skating partner Vanessa Baeur - crashes to the ice as he says in a voiceover, "I know now is my time - why do I sound so serious?"

Joey is partnered with Vanessa (ITV)

Later, he's seen exiting the ice rink with Vanessa after training as he asks her: "How do we stay in touch? Do I get your number?"

"Of course," she replies, as they head away from the rink still chatting.

It comes after Lorraine Kelly quizzed Joey on the romance rumours, saying: "You've got lovely Vanessa as your partner. The two of you get on incredibly well. So of course, everybody says you're going out. That is what they say all the time."

Joey is ready for his time on the ice (ITV)

Joey then refused to deny the rumours, skirting around the issue, as he added in response to Lorraine's comments: "Lovely girl. What? The tabloids? I mean she's a great partner. She is beautiful, she is a lovely girl and we get on really well. It is nice to be with someone who... we literally spend so much time together on the ice so it is nice to er... be happy, yeah."

Elsewhere in the first look clip, Patsy Palmer revealed her kids' reaction to her joining the show - and they were shocked. Michelle Heaton also explained it had been a "long journey" to get here but she was "stronger than ever".

He was caught asking for his pro partner's number (ITV)

Mollie Gallagher said her mum was most excited to see her on the show, having been a fan of it from years whilst The Vivienne said they were "so honoured" to be the first drag artist on the ITV skating programme.

Michelle Heaton and Łukasz Różycki, Joey Essex and Vanessa Bauer, Patsy Palmer and Matt Evers, Nile Wilson and Olivia Smart, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Brendyn Hatfield and Siva Kaneswaran and Klabera Komini will be competing in the first week.

Darren Harriott and Tippy Packard, Mollie Gallagher and Sylvain Longchambon, The Vivienne and Colin Grafton, John Fashanu and Alexandra Schauman and Carley Stenson and Mark Hanretty will compete in the second week.

* Dancing on Ice starts Sunday at 6:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.