Dancing On Ice contestant Josh Jones withdraws with twisted ankle

Comedian Josh Jones has said a “twisted ankle” forced him to withdraw from Dancing On Ice.

The 32-year-old had been due to perform in the third episode of the ITV reality skating show on Sunday, but will leave the competition early alongside his skating partner Tippy Packard.

He did return to the show, but not the competition, telling presenters Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern: “So we were skating, and I went over on my ankle (during rehearsals)… and I kind of twisted my ankle.

“And I’ve got a cold sore as well, so I’ve got (two lumps).”

Packard said: “We had so much potential to bring so many laughs to competition, and it’s a shame that we won’t be able to bring that journey.”

Willoughby said she and the show’s team “can’t quite believe” the news.

On Instagram, Jones wrote that he was “gutted”, and said he was “eliminated by gravity”.

He added: “Thanks so much to everyone on the show they have all been so lovely, but my main thanks are with Tippy, she’s amazing and I loved working with her.

“She’s genuinely one of the nicest people I’ve ever met so it’s been an absolute pleasure. Good luck to everyone else in the competition, I’ll be cheering you all on.”

A message on the official Dancing On Ice Instagram page said on Sunday: “Josh Jones sustained an injury during rehearsals and has had to withdraw from Dancing on Ice.

“Josh and Tippy’s partnership will be greatly missed. We will be helping to support Josh and wish him well with his recovery.”

The comedian has appeared on shows including Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club and 8 Out Of 10 Cats, and has hosted the BBC Three competition Fast Food Face-Off.

Dancing On Ice’s social media account said Jones and Packard’s “partnership will be greatly missed” and wished him a “speedy recovery”.

The Only Way Is Essex star Dan Edgar went with a James Bond theme on Sunday’s show, scoring 31 points as he opened the competition, but was quickly surpassed.

Coronation Street star Sam Aston earned 32.5 points, and was told by Ashley Banjo after initially being “hesitant”, he did some “serious skating” to Robbie Williams and Olly Murs’s rendition of I Wanna Be Like You, from Disney movie The Jungle Book.

Michaela Strachan performed as Maria from The Sound Of Music, with a Connie Fisher version of the song, and earned the joint highest score so far with Aston.

Coming last so far with the judges was Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave, with 20 points on the leaderboard.

Judge and former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse said Sir Steve “told the story really well”, but urged him to showcase “more skill” in future.

Footballer-turned-pundit Anton Ferdinand took on the comic book character Wolverine after the blockbuster Wolverine And Deadpool used Madonna’s Like A Prayer last year in the movie, and earned 30 points.

On the same level, was The Traitors star Mollie Pearce, who did an enchanting routine to Disney’s Beauty And The Beast song of the same name.

EastEnders star Charlie Brooks earned 27 points, with Mabuse saying the performance to Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers – which was used in the pottery scene from the 1990s romance movie Ghost – was the “most beautiful we’ve seen yet”.

But the judge added that Brooks’ “nerves get the better of you”.

Mancunian Jones hosts historical gossip podcast Dead Drama and and is a co-presenter of comedy podcast Chatting With Cherubs with Morgan Rees.

He has also appeared on Channel 4’s Married At First Sight: Unveiled; Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled on Dave; BBC Two’s The Apprentice spin-off programme The Apprentice: You’re Fired; and Comedy Central’s Undeniable.

He has been nominated for best newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, and has been a finalist for the BBC New Comedy Award.

His first skate on Dancing On Ice was a dramatic and silly performance to Scissor Sisters hit I Don’t Feel Like Dancing, which landed him in the bottom two last week.

However, he beat soap star Chelsee Healey, who was the first celebrity voted off the 2025 series.