A popular TV presenter is reportedly in line to replace Phillip Schofield on Dancing On Ice.
Phillip and Holly Willoughby’s future as hosts of Dancing On Ice is said to be up in the air amid rumors of their off-screen feud.
Meanwhile, Stephen Mulhern, 46, has been tipped as a likely replacement for the 61-year-old.
Stephen has a long history of presenting with Holly, 42, and the pair are thought to be close friends, having hosted Holly and Stephen’s Saturday Showdown from 2004 to 2006.
He’s also presented numerous shows for ITV, including Britain’s Got More Talent, This Morning’s Hub and In For A Penny, meaning bosses believe he’s ‘perfectly suited’ for the role.
The show: A popular TV presenter is reportedly being lined up as a possible replacement for Phillip Schofield on Dancing On Ice
New face: Catchphrase’s Stephen Mulhern, 46, reportedly lined up to co-host the show (pictured on This Morning on May 10)
A source told The sun: ‘Stephen is a perfect fit and gets on very well with Holly.
He has long been regarded as the right man to take the helm and was polled by executives late last year. He told friends he would jump at the chance.’
It means Stephen would have a busy schedule as he’s already in place to host a rebooted Deal Or No Deal.
He previously replaced Phillip on Dancing On Ice in February 2022, after the latter contracted Covid 19.
MailOnline has reached out to Stephen’s representatives for comment.
Holly and Phillip are now said to be ‘not as close as they once were’ and now barely speak on camera as their friendship cooled amid a recent string of controversies, including Queuegate and his brother, Timothy, convicted of child offences.
And while their deteriorating friendship has already sparked concerns about whether their collaboration on This Morning will continue, there are also questions about their future on Dancing On Ice.
A source told The sun: ‘Holly and Phil are the shining stars of Dancing on Ice, but if they don’t get along, there’s a fear it won’t work.
Suspense: Holly and Phillip’s future on Dancing On Ice has been cast into doubt by lingering rumors of an ongoing feud
Trio: Stephen appeared on This Morning on Wednesday with the two current presenters
‘Dancing on Ice is a huge ITV show, attracting around four million viewers per episode. Both Holly and Phil are complete professionals and neither would ever let on that there was a problem on screen.
“But now that the rumors of problems in their working relationship are out in the open, it can’t be swept under the carpet.”
The source added that the situation is ‘far from an ideal situation’ and that everyone at ITV wants the situation to be ‘resolved quickly’ and the presenters to be ‘happy’.
MailOnline has previously reached out to representatives for Holly, Phil and Dancing On Ice for comment.
The duo became “good friends” when they first met on Dancing on Ice in 2006.
It comes as Holly was left blindsided Thursday night after her This Morning co-star Phillip Schofield released an extraordinary statement about their rumored feud.
After claims they are ‘not as close as they once were’ and now barely speak off camera, Phillip broke his silence to insist there have been no repercussionswith his co-host of 14 years.
As Phillip admitted that ‘the past few weeks haven’t been easy for us’, sources close to Ms Willoughby told MailOnline she had no idea Mr Schofield would be making a statement. She added that the first she saw of it was when it was published online.
Awkward: On Thursday, the pair made brave faces when they appeared on screen following claims they are ‘not as close as they once were’ and viewers thought they could pick up on tensions
History: The presenting duo (pictured in November 2009) have been working together for over a decade after Holly took over Fern Britton as Phillip’s co-host in 2009.
Bosses are said to be in a major crisis, with reports that Holly, 42, is looking to pull the plug on their ITV partnership for good.
But Phillip – who has had a series of feuds with other former co-stars – has now spoken out about reports that their relationship has become strained after a series of controversies.
“The past few weeks have not been easy for either of us. Like I’ve said before, Holly is my rock,” Phil said The sun.
“We’re the best of friends — as always, she’s been an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes, and on the phone.” Holly has always been there for me through thick and thin. And I’ve been there for her.’
The pair reunited on the This Morning couch this month and did their best to keep it looking carefree, bobbing along to Lulu’s Boom Bang A Bang as Thursday’s This Morning hit the screen.
The extra beaming smiles, the jovial banter, were a planned pretense, the Mail understands, to publicly dance off claims that their once-close friendship had broken down into “literally nothing.”
Seconds after the music stopped, Holly played nervously with her wedding ring, unable to look her co-star in the eye as she wished her son Harry a happy 14th birthday.
Phil joined in, but there was a definite chill in the air.
Controversy: Phillip said his family has been through a ‘real ordeal’ after his younger brother Timothy (pictured) was convicted of child crimes
Viewers took notice — much to the dismay of This Morning’s production team, who witnessed the demise of the couple’s relationship.
Off-screen, the pair are said to be “barely speaking.”
Fans have also claimed that Holly removed Phillip from her Twitter during their alleged fight.
As social media erupted with comments about the couple’s on-screen interactions, some noticed the changes in Holly’s social media account.
Twitter users claimed that Holly’s Twitter bio featured Phillip before, with the tagline: I was introduced to this by a Twitter legend “with Phillip’s name linked in her bio,” but the bio now lists her career accolades.
Holly’s Twitter bio currently reads: “Announcer, founder of Wyldemoon, brand ambassador for Marks & Spencer and Garnier, author of Reflections.” It’s not clear when the change was made, despite fan speculation.
There has been talk of why their 14-year reign as ‘besties’ is over, but the Mail has been told that the crux of the row is a dispute over whether Schofield confided in Mrs Willoughby that his brother Timothy, an IT police officer charged with child crimes.
Friends say Ms Willoughby was in the dark until Schofield took a week’s leave from the ITV daytime show to avoid the spotlight while the trial took place last month – something he is happy to deny.
Timothy Schofield was convicted of 11 felonies and will be sentenced on May 19.
Sources close to Willoughby claim she is “deeply upset” that she learned what was going on through a third party. Not so long ago, the two were undeniably close.