Dancing on Ice in major format shake-up this weekend after Ekin-Su Ofcom complaints
Dancing on Ice returned for another series this month with a star-studded launch on ITV - but is now set for a major change
Dancing on Ice is reportedly set for a major shake-up to the ITV celebrity talent show this weekend, fresh off a raft of Ofcom complaints made to the show last week.
The celebrity ice skating competition returned for another series this month with a star-studded launch on ITV.
Yet it wasn’t all glitter and gold as the debut episode of the skating competition sparked a number of Ofcom complaints after Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu took to the ice in the first episode of the series.
The show is now set to make a major format change in its third week, as for the first time in the show’s history there will reportedly be no skate off between the two lowest ranked celebrities.
The format change is set to ramp up the pressure on the ice, as the scores from the judging panel will be combined with the public’s votes and the lowest ranked couple will leave.
As a result, the Dancing on Ice celebrities will not be able to rely on being saved by the judges if they find themselves bottom of the leaderboard.
It was confirmed on ITV's Good Morning Britain that there will be no skate off this weekend, and instead will be booted out of the show if they end up receiving the lowest votes when the public vote is combined with the judges' scores.
It comes after Ekin-Su landed in the dreaded skate off with John Fashanu, who ultimately became the first to be eliminated alongside his professional partner Alexandra Schauman.
As the result came in, hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby bid farewell to the first casualty of the rink ahead of week three.
John had joked seconds earlier that he knew he hadn't done enough to stay on the show, while Ekin-Su was visibly relieved to make it through after a tough first week.
She had vowed to prove herself in the skate-off, working hard after being left "upset" over the public vote the week before.
The Love Island winner, 28, recreated her notorious villa crawl during the routine, which host Holly Willoughby described as the show's 'sexiest ever skate'.
However, Ekin-Su's performance and daring outfit on the ITV show has now sparked 112 complaints to the TV regulator, as viewers at the time claimed it was 'not appropriate' before the watershed.
Ekin-Su scored a total vote of 21.5 points from the judges, as Ashley Banjo gave her a 5.5, Oti Mabuse scored her a 6, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean both a 5.
Yet, it proved to be a tough start to the series for Love Island reigning champ Ekin-Su, who landed in the bottom two after she received the least amount of public votes.
