Dancing on Ice reveals first contestant for 2024 series
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Dancing on Ice has confirmed their first celebrity contestant to take part in the 2024 series.
World champion boxer Ricky Hatton will take to the ice for the ITV skating show, which will return early in the new year.
Hatton confirmed the news in an interview on This Morning, sharing how he plans to approach his upcoming skating experience.
Related: Dancing on Ice winner wants to co-host with Holly Willoughby
"If I can hold my nerve in the boxing ring I should be able to hold my nerve in the ice rink," he said. "I like setting new challenges and keeping myself busy!"
Hatton's identity as an upcoming Dancing on Ice contestant was hinted at prior to his reveal on the show, with clues including a pair of boxing gloves.
The former two-weight world champion announced his retirement from the sport in 2011, but came back for one final fight in 2012, where he lost to Vyacheslav Senchenko. After the match, Hatton hung up his gloves for good.
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Hatton touched on the difficult period following his retirement to This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Ben Shephard.
"It was well documented that I struggled when I retired from boxing amongst a few other things and I'm trying to do my bit for mental health," he said. "When I retired I was sat there with nothing to do and my world fell apart a little bit.
"It's all about keeping busy and doing things that are positive and new adventures!"
Hatton also admitted he isn't "much of a skater or a dancer", but did note that "being a boxer is all about balance", which he hopes will stand him in good stead for training.
Hatton is one of 12 contestants who will make up the Dancing on Ice 2024 line-up, with further cast announcements expected to follow soon.
ITV has confirmed that the hit skating show will return to ITV1 and ITVX in 2024 – although it hasn't confirmed who is hosting following Phillip Schofield's departure from the channel. Holly Willoughby is expected to return to the series.
The judging panel for 2024 is also yet to be officially confirmed.
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