Fans of Dancing on Ice (DOI) have shared that one pairing for the next series hasn't come as a surprise, with it suggested by some that the pro gets an advantage each year.
The new series of the ITV show is set to launch in January and will feature celebrity contestants including Love Island star Chris Taylor, 34. The reality TV star revealed this week that he's been paired with professional skater Vanessa Bauer, 28.
The new series marks Vanessa's eighth on DOI, with her having joined the show back in 2018. She's won once and has reached the final on six occasions overall. Most recently, she placed as runner-up for a fifth time earlier this year.
Vanessa won her first series with X Factor singer Jake Quickenden, then 29. She then placed as runner-up with Love Island's Wes Nelson, then 20, and Diversity dancer Perri Kiely, then 24, in the following two series of the show.
She was paired with Emmerdale's Joe-Warren Plant, then 18, in 2021 but they withdrew just weeks into the series after he tested positive for Covid. Vanessa was runner-up again with former Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole, then 45, the following year.
The professional skater reached the final once again last year when partnered with the Only Way Is Essex's Joey Essex, then 32, placing second. Earlier this year, she was runner-up for a fifth time when partnered with Made in Chelsea cast member Miles Nazaire, 28.
There's previously been speculation of 'favourism' over who Vanessa is paired with and following the news that she's now been partnered with Chris, some fans suggested that he fits an apparent trend. It's been claimed that she often skates with "young" contestants - despite Brendan, whom she was paired with in 2022, being one of the oldest on his series - and those who are skilled on the ice.
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WireImage)Sharing their thoughts, a fan wrote on Instagram this week: "What a shocker she always gets the young good skaters." Another said: "She needs an old stiff person for once." Someone reacted: "Give her a year off or a challenge." A fourth said: "Again with the young good looking skater."
Someone else wrote: "This makes me think [Chris is] fibbing about not being that good on the ice because Vanessa ALWAYS gets a good'un!" Another questioned: "Is it in her contract to get the young good looking lads?" Whilst one fan teased recently: "Lol of course [they're] paired together."
Others teased that they had expected the partnership once the cast were announced. One fan wrote: "Absolutely called it when it was announced [Chris was] doing it." Another said: "I knew you'd be partnered together." Similarly, a third fan wrote on the platform: "We called it from day 1."
There's been much excitement over the pairing though from others and some fans have defended Vanessa amid the commentary. One wrote: "[She's] great at her craft and maybe the reason why she has good dancers every year is because of her teaching? It doesn't just boil down to looks and that she gets all the 'good' ones. She shapes them into being good!"
Chris shared his thoughts over being paired with Vanessa earlier this week. Alongside a series of photos and a video showing the pair at an ice rink together, Chris wrote: "Bloody DELIGHTED to say me & Vanessa are skating together on @dancingonice 2025 …swipe to see how in sync we are(n't…yet. I'll accept 51% responsibility for that)."
He continued in his post: "Quivering with excitement to start skating with V-force & learn some sort of grace/decorum (& possibly improve my still quaver like posture). Message to future Vanessa - I'm sorry. This will make sense in about a week (long/short - I'm quite annoying)."
Vanessa was among those who reacted in the comments section of his post on Wednesday. She wrote in response to her skating partner's post on the platform just a few days ago: "SO SO happy! Let's get working."
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