"Stephen Mulhern brought much better energy than Schofield": Netizens praise TV presenter as Holly Willoughby's co-host on Dancing On Ice

The latest season of Dancing On Ice began airing on ITV on January 14, 2024, with Stephen Mulhern introduced as the season's co-host with Holly Willoughby. Mulhern was named the presenter for the ITV show after the previous host Phillip Schofield announced his decision to step down from all his on-screen appointments.

The Catchphrase host earned a lot of praise from the Dancing On Ice viewers in his very first episode, alongside the This Morning presenter, Holly Willoughby. The latter has returned to TV after a 3-month-long break she took in October 2023.

While most viewers were happy to see Mulhern on the screen as their host, many compared him to the previous host claiming that Mulhern had "much better energy." They took to X to praise the new host with many stating that they were glad to see Mulhern and Willoughby together again.

Stephen Mulhern and Holly Willoughby have previously hosted shows together, starting with co-presenters of the CITV show Ministry of Mayhem in 2004. Fans enjoyed their chemistry so much that CITV named the show after them in 2006 – Holly & Stephen’s Saturday Showdown.

While the two have not appeared on the screen together since 2006, they’ve remained close friends. In 2014, Stephen Mulhern talked about his friendship with Holly Willoughby in an interview with The Sun. He stated that he still sought advice from Holly and also called her a “proper mate.”

Before joining as a presenter for the entire season, Mulhern had appeared on Dancing On Ice in 2023 as well. At the time, he was filling in for Phillip Schofield, who was in isolation due to COVID-19. During the episode of Dancing On Ice, Mulhern and Willoughby reminisced how it had been 16 years since they worked together.

The Dancing On Ice viewers were seen welcoming the chemistry between the co-hosts with joy and nostalgia. Many claimed that they were looking forward to a season filled with effortless fun.

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Dancing on Ice fans call Stephen Mulhern ‘a vast improvement’

Stephen Mulhern and Holly Willoughby co-host Dancing On Ice 2024 (Image via X/@StephenMulhern)

After viewers of Dancing On Ice welcomed Stephen Mulhern as their new co-host with Holly Willoughby, many of them took to X to share their joy. Many claimed that they were glad Mulhern was the replacement for the previous co-host.

Some netizens claimed that Mulhern was both funnier and more entertaining than the former Dancing On Ice presenter. Meanwhile, others noted how Willoughby appeared more relaxed next to him in comparison to Schofield. One of them even stated how Mulhern was so different from the “It’s all about me Schofield."

Stephen Mulhern has been in the entertainment industry since he was a child. He started out as a magician and steadily built his path as a TV presenter. He has hosted over 50 different shows and is currently hosting The Big Quiz, Catchphrase, The National Lottery Draws, In for a Penny, and Deal or No Deal.

While 2024 will mark Mulhern’s first full season on Dancing On Ice, Willoughby has had a much longer run on the show. She had opened Dancing On Ice in 2006 as its first co-host with Schofield.

In 2011, Christine Lampard replaced Willoughby for three seasons, after which the show ended. When it was revived in 2018, Willoughby had returned with it and has since then remained as a co-host.

The next episode of Dancing On Ice will air on Sunday, January 21, 2024, at 6:30 pm on ITV1 and ITVX.