To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video. Up Next. Love Island star Chris Taylor had a rocky week on Dancing On Ice after his professional partner was forced to withdraw. This weekend, pro skater Vanessa Bauer shared the sad news of her premature exit from the 2025 series just hours before the live show. Taking to Instagram with an emotional video, she announced that she hurt herself ‘backstage’ prior to last week’s show.

Alas, the 28-year-old has since discovered that the damage is more serious than she initially thought. As tonight’s show began, the remaining celebrities took to their ice to be welcomed by the studio audience. Among them was Chris, 34, and his new partner, Robin Johnstone. While their introductory skate got off to a strong start, when it came to Chris and Robin’s actual routine, they ended up in a heap on the rink after taking an embarrassing tumble.

Thankfully, they were able to recover and continued zooming around the rink like nothing happened while the crowd spurred them on. Chris and Robin scored 28.5 points for the number, which is still not to be sniffed at, as it allowed them to remain in the contest for another week. This week’s theme is songs that are special to the skating stars, with Chris choosing to dance to the Pokemon theme tune. He explained in his VT that he grew up loving the game and used it as a way to find friends with similar interests since he couldn’t bond with boys at school over football.

Despite admitting that he found it a challenge to get used to working with a new partner, Chris still made Vanessa proud as she was in the audience cheering and clapping. Speaking after their skate and his fall, Chris said: ‘I am gutted. I really wanted to do that justice. Obviously, Vanessa choreographed it, we’ve been working on it for a week straight. ‘It’s nothing to do with the situation… I just decked it! But we got up and we did the rest!’.

As tonight’s show opened, host Stephen Mulhern told viewers that everyone at DOI is ‘very grateful’ that Robin has ‘stepped in’ for Chris as he addressed the elephant in the room. ‘Thank you, Robin!’, declared Holly Willoughby, as Stephen shouted: ‘Good luck!’. Holly added: ‘And, of course, we wish Vanessa a very speedy recovery. You look after yourself.’. In her teary announcement video shared online this afternoon, Vanessa began by saying: ‘I’m here today with rather upsetting news. I am unfortunately not going to be able to continue on Dancing on Ice with Chris.

‘That’s really upsetting for me. I have trained Chris since October last year and it is always such an amazing achievement for myself to see someone else progress so much in a skill they’ve never done before.’. She continued: ‘It’s always been really rewarding for me to watch this journey for Chris. But my health comes first, and I unfortunately had a little accident backstage last week on Dancing on Ice just before the show on Sunday and I didn’t realize how bad it was.’.

Vanessa went on to explain that she had eventually received results from an MRI that revealed she sustained a ‘completely torn ligament, grade 3 sprain and a major grade 2 sprain injury.’. She shared that sadly she can’t compete with the injuries and is all about ‘always putting your health first’, saying: ‘I don’t want this injury, which is already bad, to get even worse so I have to step away for my health.’.

The athlete thanked fans for all their support and asked them to continue to support Chris in the competition. After the news broke, reality star and influencer Chris took to his own Instagram Story, writing that he was ‘absolutely gutted’ at how things have turned out. ‘Whilst I’m here, let me tell you something about this woman,’ he added in praise. ‘She is, hands down, the most committed, determined, and inspirational person I’ve ever met. She gives everything 3000% and it’s been an honour to be taught by her.’.

Chris added to Vanessa directly: ‘Very very sad we don’t get to finish this together, you’ve got an annoying brother for life now.’. Since Dancing On Ice began last month, Chris and Vanessa have proven themselves to be a strong skating partnership, having achieved high scores and received compliments aplenty from the judges. In week one, they received a respectable total of 24 points out of a possible 40 from Ashley Banjo, Oti Mabuse, Jayne Torvill, and Christopher Dean.

For their second skate on Movie Night, Chris and Vanessa dressed up as Barbie and Ken. Their fun routine saw them improve on their debut, as they scored 30. Other celebrities competing for the Dancing On Ice trophy this year include The Traitors finalist Mollie Pearce, Coronation Street star Sam Aston, Towie’s Dan Edgar, and TV presenter Michaela Strachan. The lineup also consists of ex-footballer Anton Ferdinand and EastEnders queen Charlie Brooks.