Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby confirm the return of Dancing on Ice

Exciting news from the glitzy world of reality TV – Dancing on Ice is set to return to our screens in the early part of next year!

Like in the original series', the show will be presented by ITV favourites, Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who first met during the filming of Dancing on Ice back in 2006.

The pair announced the exciting news during an episode of This Morning, where they continue to work as a presenting duo.

'I'm often told how much people have missed Dancing on Ice,' said Phil. 'And with the show so fondly remembered, it’s exciting for us all to now have the chance to breath new life into the show, and of course spending an extra day of the week with Holly is the icing on the cake!'

'I'm so excited to be returning to a show that I love so much!' added Holly. 'Working with Jayne and Chris is always such an honour and it's even more special as it's the show that Phil and I first worked on together ... it's full of wonderful memories and I can't wait to make some new ones... .'

The much loved figure skating competition, which was pulled in March 2014, will also feature British Olympic figure skating Champions Jayne Torvil and Christopher Dean. In previous series they have played the part of mentor and trainers for the celebrity pairings – but this time round, they'll be featuring as judges, meaning the contestants can expect some harsh criticisms.

Jayne said: 'We are thrilled that Dancing On Ice is returning to ITV next year and delighted to announce our new roles on the judging panel. The show struck such a huge chord with the viewers ever since it launched in 2006, with many of them taking up skating as a result.'

'We can't wait to be back on screen in 2018, with a bigger and better series for a brand new audience.'

The duo will appear beside two more judges, who are yet to be announced.

As always, well known celebrities will be paired with professional figure skaters, but unlike Strictly Come Dancing the competition poses some very serious risks.

Slipping and falling is a constant danger, and some contestants have been hospitalised after injuring themselves during training and, in one dramatic episode, falling during the live show.

Speculation about the return of the show has been mounting since earlier this summer, when some celebrities were spotted training in ice rinks. Because of the high technical skill requires, participants start training well ahead of the show's air date.