'Dancing on Ice's' Brianne Delcourt finds love for the fourth time on the show - with Kevin Kilbane

Dancing on Ice pro skater Brianne Delcourt has found love with a celebrity partner for the fourth time on the show - this time confirming her relationship with Irish footballer Kevin Kilbane.

The couple were only paired four months ago to train ahead of last night’s (January 5) first live episode, but romance has already blossomed with Delcourt calling Kilbane “my person”.

Read more: Ian ‘H’ Watkins breaks down in tears after Dancing on Ice debut

She told OK! magazine: “We were just friends initially, but he’s been my biggest support while I’ve been without my daughter. Kev’s a dad, too, so he gets it. He’s been my best bud.”

They initially bonded over Delcourt having to leave her three-year-old daughter Gracie to be cared for by her parents while she commits to training, and Kilbane’s experiences of being a dad to two teenage daughters from his former marriage.

Kilbane added that it was love at first sight for him: “There was an attraction with Brianne the first time I met her. But it was way more than that. Everything clicked. I asked her on a date after a week of knowing her, but she said no.”

However, Delcourt eventually agreed to go out for dinner together and their feelings have grown from there.

Read more: Jason Gardiner brands Holly and Phil ‘fake’

Skating star Delcourt has found romance on the ITV contest a few times before, having dated her celebrity partners Coronation Street actor Danny Young, and EastEnders stars Sam Attwater and Matt Lapinskas.

But in an apparent dig at her exes, she said: “There is no comparison of Kevin to the guys I used to date. He’s perfect and my best friend.”

Delcourt’s relationship with Lapinskas ended particularly acrimoniously when she claimed that he had pursued her behind then-girlfriend and soap co-star Shona McGarty’s back, then quickly moved on with someone else.

She and new love Kilbane are yet to prove whether their real-life chemistry translates to the ice, as they will be making their skating debut in the second live episode this Sunday (January 12).