Josie Gibson, who impressed audiences on I’m A Celebrity, might be the new host of Dancing On Ice… I need to get out of here!
The This Morning host was already a well-known TV personality, but her stint in the jungle might have catapulted her career to new heights.
Since the revival in 2018, original hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have led the show.
Schofield, 61, resigned from all of his radio projects after admitting to lying about a ‘unwise but not criminal’ romance with a junior member of staff. Holly left This Morning in October to spend more time with her family, and the 42-year-old is now believed to be ‘in a right state’ over whether to return to DOI, leaving a prospective vacancy.
According to a TV insider, Josie’s stint on the Australian reality show demonstrated her ‘ideal combination of humility, confidence, humour, and unflappability’ to the appropriate people.
Josie finished fourth, the last woman remaining, after winner Sam Thompson, runners-up Tony Bellew, and Nigel Farage.
They added to The Sun: ‘She’s already proved she’s able to handle live TV during her time as a co-host on This Morning where she’s also developed quite a following among viewers.
‘ITV will be hoping she’ll bring that popularity across to Dancing On Ice, if she ends up bagging the job in Holly’s absence.’
According to the insider, ITV is still hoping Holly will return.
‘The situation remains up in the air and nervous producers are now counting down to the start in days rather than weeks,’ continued the insider.
‘There are several figures who could fill Holly’s role but Josie very much stands out.’
An ITV spokesperson said: ‘Further announcements for Dancing on Ice will be made in due course.’
Stephen Mulhern has already stated that he is in talks with ITV about replacing Schofield on DOI.
He has previous experience with the competition series, having hosted the spin-off series Defrosted and filling in for Phillip when he was unwell with Covid.
‘We are talking about it,’ he explained. ‘But I promise you now that nothing is confirmed but if it happens, it will be absolutely amazing. If it doesn’t, look, it doesn’t. I promise you I would tell you if we had it confirmed at this point.’
The 46-year-old continued to the Daily Mail: ‘The lineup is the best it has been in a few years… I am keeping across the lineup, just in case… It is a huge staple, and it has been around.’
DOI has revealed comedian Lou Sanders, Made in Chelsea’s Miles Nazaire, Olympic ski jumper Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards, DJ Adele Roberts, Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas and Emmerdale’s Roxy Shahidi.
On the programme, world champion boxer Ricky Hatton, EastEnders’ Ricky Norwood, actress Claire Sweeney, S Club singer Hannah Spearritt, former Love Island star Amber Davies, and Olympic champion Greg Rutherford are among those who will compete.
DOI debuted on ITV in 2006, with Schofield and Holly presenting the most of the time, with Christine Lampard filling in for the latter from 2012 until 2014, when she quit to lead The Voice.
Dancing On Ice returns to ITV and ITVX next year.
Source My Celebrity Life.