Dancing On Ice set to feature same-sex couple - beating Strictly to TV landmark
The ITV skating show is set to pair a male celebrity with one its male professional skaters in what will be a first for British TV
Dancing On Ice is set to make TV history by featuring a same-sex couple, beating BBC's Strictly to the telly landmark.
ITV bosses are set to pair pro skater Matt Evers with Steps singer Ian 'H' Watkins for the upcoming series.
There have been years of speculation about same-sex couples appearing on dance shows, with Strictly featuring male dancers together in group numbers but the ITV show has beaten its rival in pairing a pro with a celeb.
The Steps singer had asked Dancing On Ice producers whether he could be paired with a male skater and the team were "fully supportive" of it.
Strictly has been heavily tipped to lead the way with this but opted against a same-sex couple for the current series despite years of speculation.
Ian 'H' Watkins.
H takes his first tentative steps on ice(Image: Matt Frost/REX/Shutterstock)
A Dancing On Ice source told The Sun: “After conversations with the Dancing on Ice production team, H enquired as to the possibility of being paired with a male pro skater.
“Bosses at Dancing on Ice are fully supportive of a same-sex partnership, so this year H will be paired with Matt.
“It’s a huge moment in TV history. A lot of viewers will be watching and the hope is it might set a trend.”
The class of 2020 on Dancing On Ice(Image: ITV)
Matt Evers with Gemma Collins in the last series(Image: Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
It will be a different experience for pro skater Matt Evers, who partnered reality star Gemma Collins in the last series.
He will be hoping for a quieter life this time after Gemma's diva antics made sure he was kept on his toes for a majority of the time she was in the competition
Ian Watkins is hoping to find the right steps(Image: Matt Frost/REX/Shutterstock)
Matt Evers is expected to partner Ian Watkins(Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
A BBC spokesman said this year: "We are completely open to the prospect of same-sex pairings between celebrities and pro dancers in the future, should the opportunity arise.”
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