Mark Hanretty issues statement on ITV Dancing on Ice exit days after Michaela Strachan defeat controversy
Dancing on Ice professional skater Mark Hanretty has announced his departure from the ITV series after 14 years on the show.
The professional skater announced the news to his fans via his Instagram account and penned a lengthy post, in which he described his time as “the end of an era”.
His departure comes after he finished in second place in the 2025 series alongside his celebrity partner, Michaela Strachan.
The pair narrowly missed out on the trophy to Coronation Street star Sam Aston and his partner Molly Lanaghan in last weekend’s final.
In his emotional Instagram post, Hanretty expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the show and wrote: “I wish I could thank each and every one of the amazing productions who have made my time on Dancing on Ice so memorable.”
In the clip shared from the final, Hanretty can be heard saying: “There are so many people you don’t see that make this the amazing show it is. So thank you to you and all of them!”
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Alongside the video, he wrote: “End of an era for me! So grateful to all the people in front and behind the camera who have made my 12 seasons on @dancingonice such a joy! Very grateful!”
He also noted he was “celebrating the end of my DOI pro skating career with our precious baby girl on her birthday.”
Hanretty had previously announced his intention to leave the show back in October 2024 and, at the time, said: “This will be my last year as a pro skater and I’m eager to soak up every second of it!”
Michaela Strachan responded to Hanretty’s farewell with a touching message: “We may not have won the trophy. But I won the best prize, being partnered with the nicest and kindest man on the ice.”
Despite never winning the competition, this year marked Hanretty’s best result as he previously placed third with both Kimberly Wyatt and Adele Roberts in their respective years.
Hanretty’s departure from the show comes after the show is allegedly facing an uncertain future as ratings plummeted to an all-time low of just 2.4 million viewers.
Industry insiders reportedly fear the 17th series could be the last for the popular programme.
This year’s launch episode drew only 2.9 million, with figures dropping further to 2.4 million by the fifth week, even when accounting for catch-up views.
Since the rumours of the show coming to its end, ITV broke its silence ahead of the finale last Sunday, with a spokesperson telling the Mirror Online: “The Dancing on Ice team is fully concentrating on the much-anticipated series finale this coming Sunday and therefore no decision has been made.”
Sources claim staff working on the show have already been told their jobs are finished.
“The staffers on Dancing on Ice are saying the show is over and claim they’ve been told as much,” a source told The Sun.
Another insider claimed the whole production is “expensive” to make, with questions over whether ITV is getting value for money.
“There’s no denying, though, that the format has become tired, and they’re not getting the big names they once did,” the source added.