Dancing On Ice bosses warn celebs if they test positive for covid they’ll be axed

Dancing on Ice bosses are following the lead of Strictly Come Dancing by issuing tough rules for celebs taking part. 

Producers have informed all the celebrity skaters and their professional partners that if they test positive for coronavirus they will immediately be axed from the ITV show. 

Comedian Rufus Hound has already missed two live shows of the competition after isolating because he came into contact with someone with covid, before testing positive with a ‘mild case’ himself. He is expected to skate again on this Sunday’s show.  

Rules: Dancing on Ice producers have informed all the celebrity skaters and their professional partners that if they test positive for coronavirus they will immediately be axed from the show (pictured Rufus Hound and his partner Robin Johnstone who have missed two live shows)

An insider told The Sun of the rules: ‘Any of the celebrities or their partners going down with Covid now would mean two weeks out of the competition and training.

‘It would leave them dangerously under-trained and it’s too risky to then have them skate.’

The insider added that the producers have to take the public vote into consideration, pointing out: ‘There’s the integrity of the public vote, which is the most important thing on the show.’

Rufus has missed two live shows. He came into contact with someone with coronavirius after his first week on the show, meaning an isolation period of ten days.

Positive: Comedian Rufus has missed two live shows of the competition after isolating because he came into contact with someone with covid, before testing positive with a ‘mild case’ 

He wasn’t due to skate in week two but would have been on the side of the rink cheering on his fellow celebs and taking part in a group routine. 

He also missed the third live show on Sunday, confirming on Friday night that he had tested positive for coronavirus, but insisting it was ‘a very mild case’ and he would be back on the ice this weekend.   

Reality star Billie Shepherd was also allowed to miss last weekend’s show after the death of her grandmother, while Denise Van Outen was forced to pull out of the competition early due to injury.  

Week out: Reality star Billie Shepherd was also allowed to miss last weekend’s show after the death of her grandmother

Meanwhile during the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, which concluded in December, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams and her pro partner Katya Jones were both forced to leave the show when Katya tested positive for covid. 

An ITV spokeswoman has explained to MailOnline: ‘We have stringent protocols to ensure the health and safety of all our contributors and staff which are routinely monitored and updated to reflect government guidelines.’

‘Following the guidance on isolation, a positive Covid-19 diagnosis for any of our cast at this stage would mean two weeks missed and sadly an end to their time on the show. It has always been the case that no celebrity skater has missed more than one public vote.’ 

Rufus revealed on Twitter on Friday night that he had Covid, explaining he had isolated as soon as coming into contact, tested five days later and is at the end of having it. He said it was a ‘very mild case’.  

He said: ‘I’ve had Covid. Isolated when I knew I’d come into contact with it, tested five days later, am coming to the end of having had it, luckily v mild case.’ 

Off: Rufus missed the third live show on Sunday, confirming on Friday that he had tested positive, but insisting it was ‘a very mild case’ and he would be back on the ice this weekend

Earlier in the week, it was reported that bosses were ‘refusing to axe Hound’ after historic tweets by the star using racist and homophobic slurs resurfaced and he was told he ‘won’t be kicked off the show’.

A source claimed to The Sun that ITV was being hypocritical with Hound – following the axing of I’m A Celebrity star Jack Maynard back in 2017 after tweets emerged of him using racist and homophobic slurs. 

A source told the website: ‘Dancing On Ice have made their position clear and while Rufus’s tweets have been quietly condemned, right now it’s not being seen as an offence which would require his removal.

Another early exit: Denise Van Outen was forced to pull out of the competition early due to injury

‘It seems there is one rule for some, and one for another. After Jack was taken off I’m A Celebrity for the same kind of tweets, it was assumed that Rufus would be told he should step down.

‘But it’s been made clear to those working on the show that they’re standing by him.’ 

It was previously reported Dancing on Ice bosses were facing calls to remove Hound from the show after he tweeted claims that Theresa May planned the Manchester Arena terror attack.  

Exit: During the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, which concluded in December, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams and her pro partner Katya Jones were both forced to leave the show when Katya tested positive for covid