Legendary Paralympian signs up for Dancing On Ice and full 2025 line-up revealed

DANCING On Ice has revealed the full line-up ahead of its return to ITV in January.

The Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern fronted show will feature a string of soap stars and a Paralympian in the 2025 cast.

Dame Sarah Story was the final celebrity announced and spoke out on ITV’s Lorraine today.

The British cyclist and swimmer, who was born without a functioning left hand and won a raft of medals at the Tokyo games in 2016, said: “I’m excited to learn a new skill and have the opportunity to put myself out there and learn a new sport.”

Dame Sarah will join famous faces including EastEnders legend Charlie Brooks, Corrie favourite Sam Aston and Sir Steve Redgrave on the ice on Sunday nights next year.

See the full line-up below.

HOLLYOAKS STAR

Chelsee Healey, 36, is also a contestant on the current series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins but is now set to swap her camping boots for a pair of ice skates after joining ITV’s prime-time winter hit.

It comes after she recently took time away from her role as Goldie McQueen in Hollyoaks to give birth to her second daughter Cooki.

The Manchester actress is no stranger to talent shows having already appeared on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2011.

LOVE ISLAND SIGNING

Also appearing on Heart Radio to confirm his place on the show was Love Island legend Chris Taylor who admitted he is “terrified” of the rink.

The 34-year-old added: “I’m somewhere between absolutely terrified and excited, flitting between the two quite aggressively as well.”

The star shot to fame when he entered the Love Island villa in 2019 and later dated his co-star Maura Higgins.

Chris returned to the villa this year in All Stars and then bagged a presenting gig on the show’s podcast.

The bachelor was most recently on TV in Celebs Go Dating.

SECOND TOWIE STAR SIGNS

The Sun previously revealed Towie hunk Dan Edgar, 34, had signed up alongside his former co-star Ferne McCann and Dan discussed his new gig on the radio.

He told Heart Radio’s Ashley Roberts: “You see I like to think I’m a good skater, but I’m a terrible dancer.”

Dan has been at the centre of Towie’s biggest love triangle in recent years after joining the hit ITVbe show in 2015.

SPRINGWATCH LEGEND

An excited Michaela Strachan appeared on ITV’s Lorraine to reveal she’s signed up.

Michaela is best known as one of the presenters of beloved BBC show Springwatch.

The 58-year-old, who now lives in Cape Town with her partner Nick Chevallier, admitted she was looking forward to relocating to the UK as it means she’ll be close to her son Ollie who is studying at Loughborough University.

She added: “It’s going to be a big challenge. I have no idea whether I’m going to be good, average or totally rubbish!”

Michaela hosted kids’ wildlife programme The Really Wild Show from 1993 to 2006.

EASTENDERS LEGEND

The Sun previously told how EastEnders star Charlie Brook, 43, will be putting her skates on when Dancing On Ice returns.

She then appeared on Loose Women to open up about her latest gig.

Charlie is best known for playing villain Janine Butcher.

FOOTBALL PUNDIT

Anton Ferdinand will be dusting off his fancy footwork when the celebs begin their training this week.

His older brother Rio was one of the first to reply when Anton posted the news on social media, telling fans: “So far out my comfort zone but I’m here for it!! Let’s gooooooooo.”

An excited Rio typed back: “Boooooom!”

The former QPR star, who shares his kids Flynn, 11, and Lilah, seven, with wife Lucy, said: “I decided to sign up for the show because it’s a challenge first and foremost.

“I’m in a new phase of my life since retiring from football and the one of the things I’ve missed about playing is the structure it gives you.

“Dancing On Ice will give me that focus but I’m also doing it for my daughter because she loves dance and performing arts.

“My son always had my football to shout about so this will give my daughter and me something to share.”

TRAITORS FINALIST

Mollie Pearce shot to fame at the start of the year when she made it to the final of series two of the Traitors.

The disability model, 22, mised out on the near-£100k prize when her best mate Harry convinced her he was a Faithful.

Mollie told how her mum took her ice skating when she was young, so she is hoping to tap back into that experience.

She added how she was inspired by BBC Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts, who has a stoma like her, and competed on the previous DOI season.

Mollie, who was also born with one hand, added: “It’s my normal, I was born like it.

“I have never let it get in the way before so I’m not going to let it start now.”

TOWIE LEGEND

Towie legend Ferne McCann spoke out on her Dancing On Ice signing on Good Morning Britain.

It came shortly after Ferne, 34, quit her solo reality TV series Ferne McCann: My Family & Me.

Ferne said she is “competitive” and admitted she can “kind of” skate after going to Winter Wonderland with her kids.

TOP COMIC

One celebrity who is guaranteed to bring the laughs is comedian Josh Jones as he admitted: “I’ve can’t skate at all”.

The stand-up comic from Manchester was announced on radio station Gaydio last week.

He told listeners: “I’ve not got any skating experience whatsoever.

“I did it once for a date years ago and I wasn’t very good.

“I was holding onto the railings the entire time and we aren’t together now.

“My dancing isn’t great either, for a gay man I have no rhythm, I struggle to clap along to a beat so this will be fun.”

Josh confirmed his spot over on Instagram, telling his followers: “Dancing on Ice is no laughing matter!”

CORONATION STREET LEGEND

Coronation Street legend Sam Aston is swapping the cobbles for the rink.

Sam, 31, said he auditioned to get a basic sense of what it would be like on the ice.

He said: “They basically stand you on the ice. But I got a real buzz experiencing it a little bit.

“My son is pretty excited about it, he’s only young but when I told him he said, ‘can I come, can I come?’ He’s only four!”

He added: “It’s nice for the public to see me as me and not Chesney!”

OLYMPIC WINNER

Sir Steve Redgrave revealed his signing on daytime show This Morning and told hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard that he will be the the “oldest and heaviest” in the cast.

The five-times gold medalist even joked that his skating partner will have to be “someone big”, as he currently tips the scales at 18st 8lbs (120kg).

But the gruelling training regime for DOI could see Steve slimming down, which is likely to be the reason he signed up for it.

In an interview last year, Steve admitted that he has a borderline testosterone deficiency, which has led to unexplained weight gain.

The professional rower, who has also been Type 2 Diabetic for almost three decades, retired from rowing in 2000 and is keen to keep fit and healthy.