A Dancing On Ice pair have been forced to pull out of the show, just hours before the next live show was due to hit screens.

Josh Jones and his professional partner Tippy Packard have withdrawn from the show after the comedian sustained an injury during rehearsals.

The news was shared by Dancing On Ice’s social media accounts, in a statement which read: ‘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 in his recovery.’

Josh’s exit came after he narrowly survived the first elimination during last week’s live show, with Hollyoaks‘ Chelsee Healey becoming the first star to be sent home. 

Josh was first revealed to be taking part in Dancing On Ice in October, and admitted on Gaydio that he had ‘no skating experience’ at all.

Comedian Josh Jones has been forced to pull out of this year’s Dancing On Ice after suffering an injury during rehearsals (pictured with his professional partner Tippy Packard)

Josh’s exit came after he narrowly survived the first elimination during last week’s live show

He said: ‘I did it once for a date years ago and I wasn’t very good.

‘I was holding onto the railings the entire time and we aren’t together now.

‘My dancing isn’t great either, for a gay man I have no rhythm, I struggle to clap along to a beat so this will be fun.’

Following news of Josh’s exit, many fans shared their well-wishes for him in the comments, however some called for Chelsee to be brought back to the show after she was eliminated.

Comments included: ‘Bring back Chelsea,there’s no way she should have gone last week; Bring back Chelsee then. She was robbed;’

‘They are now two celebrities down – I wonder if they will have a week without skate-off?’

‘He should have gone instead of Chelsee last week anyway;’

‘Aww that’s a shame. I hope he recovers, but then they could always bring back @chelseehealey.’

The news was shared by Dancing On Ice’s social media accounts, with a statement adding Josh and Tippy would be ‘greatly missed’

Following news of Josh’s exit, many fans shared their well-wishes for him in the comments, however some called for Chelsee Healey to be brought back to the show

Dame Sarah Storey also shared her own sweet message for Josh, after she was also forced to withdraw from Dancing On Ice at the training stage due to injury

Dame Sarah Storey also shared her own sweet message for Josh, after she was also forced to withdraw from Dancing On Ice at the training stage due to injury.

She wrote: ‘So so sorry to read this, sending you lots of love @joshyjones92.’

Viewers slammed last week’s Dancing On Ice result after Chelsee was eliminated from the show.

Chelsee was at the bottom of the leaderboard when she performed last weekend with 22 points.

She put on a dazzling performance as she and partner Andy skated to Beyoncé’s Crazy In Love.

Fans were furious with the result, with one tweeting ‘I knew it, poor Chelsee. She ABSOLUTELY didn’t deserve to go first.’

Reacting to her exit, Chelsee held back tears and said: ‘It’s fine’.

Holly said: ‘I think everyone is shocked actually to see you in this position.’

Chelsee replied: ‘Personally there’s been a lot going on with me that I’ve been struggling with so I couldn’t focus, but I’m just really grateful.’

Earlier in the show fans slammed the ‘unfair’ rule change meaning there was no skate off.

Viewers slammed last week’s Dancing On Ice result after Chelsee was eliminated from the show

The glitzy ITV show returned to screens for its second episode, with five more celebrities taking to the rink with their skating partners for the first time, after the first six made their debut last week.

While it had been confirmed that one couple would eliminated from the competition at the end of the show, viewers were upset to learn that there wouldn’t be a skate-off.

In series past, following a public vote, the two couples with the least number of votes would go head-to-head in the skate-off, with the judges choosing which pair would be sent home.

However, hosts Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern instead confirmed that there would be no skate-off this week, and the pair with the least votes would immediately be sent home.

It was a move branded ‘unfair’ with some viewers stating that some couples deserve the chance to prove themselves with another performance.

Posts on X included: ‘I do think the other skating couple should be given an extra week to skate , not really fair on them being voted out so quickly when it was their first week skating;’

‘How can there not be a skate off? What if more people voted last week or this week? Surely that would me potentially someone would unfairly have less votes?’

‘I still don’t get why there’s no Skate off till Week 5.’

Dancing On Ice will return to ITV and ITVX on Sunday 26th January at 6:25pm.