Stephen Mulhern has opened up about his Dancing On Ice partnership with Holly Willoughby as he admitted “it’s nerve-wracking”.
The Catchphrase presenter, 46, has taken over from Phillip Schofield on the show following his exit from ITV. Stephen has had a tough time with viewers as some have complained about him on the programme.
Now, Stephen has spoken about his ongoing stint on Dancing On Ice and revealed the advice Holly gave him.
Stephen Mulhern on Dancing On Ice
Speaking to OK!, Stephen said of Dancing On Ice: “It’s going really well. I love it because it’s live and anything can happen, there is no delay on the show. Whereas, if something goes wrong on Deal Or No Deal, for example, there are things we can do, but that’s not the case with Dancing On Ice.
“Although, that does make it more nerve-wracking, which is why it’s great to not only do it with a co-host but to do it with a friend. If something goes wrong from my side, I know Holly will help me out and vice versa.”
Gushing over Holly, Stephen said her advice was to “just to be ourselves and because we’re friends, that comes naturally”.
He added: “We’ve known each other a long time, so I can work out quite easily when she’s going to say something and I’ll stop talking. It makes it so much easier when you know the person you’re hosting alongside.”
When asked if it helps him that he can “lean on” Holly, Stephen said it feels “a lot safer”. He admitted he’s “really happy to finally have that double act and someone to do things with”.
Stephen also insisted he’s got Holly‘s back while she has his.
It comes after viewers had a mixed reaction to Stephen as the new presenter.
Stephen complaints on Dancing On Ice
During the past few shows, there’s been complaints about Stephen’s jokes. One viewer said recently: “I love this programme but Stephen Mulhern is ruining it!”
Another complained on X – formerly Twitter: “Holly looks pained by Stephen’s puns each time.”
Someone else said: “Dancing On Ice is meant to be quite a serious programme, yeah it’s fun to watch but Stephen Mulhern is NOT the right person to be presenting this alongside Holly.”
However, there’s been plenty of compliments about Holly and Stephen as a partnership. One gushed recently: “So nice to see Holly and Stephen back together again presenting.”
Dancing On Ice airs this Sunday (February 11) from 6.20pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Head over to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix to share your thoughts on this story.