Dancing On Ice is over because the viewing figures were in the death zone

Dancing On Ice is over because the viewing figures were in the death zone

After eight long years ITV has finally conceded that Dancing On Ice has had its day.

Good decision. It was painful to see this once massive show in a state of inexorable decline.

At its height Strictly's deep frozen poor relation rip-off was pulling in as many as 13million viewers.

But when gymnast Beth Tweddle skated to minor glory in March... only 6.7million die-hards bothered to tune in. For the final of a reality contest, that's the death zone.

But it seems that even this frightening downhill slide wasn't enough for ITV's bosses to pull the plug.

It was the programme's stalwart stars Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean who realised that when it's over... it's over.

And after our Winter Olympic heroes announced that the 2014 series would be their last ... it was clear there was nothing left.

But a lot of people thoroughly enjoyed this annual pageant of C-list celebs slip sliding out of their comfort zone. So for them this is a sad moment.

As for me... I'm cracking open the champagne. DOI peaked with Todd Carty. Its finest hour. But apart from that it's been hard to tell one samey series from another.

And when the awfully clever producers imagined that replacing acid tongued judge Jason Gardiner with lisping Louie Spence would stop the rot, it was obvious they'd completely lost the plot.

Ditto their bizarre belief that paying not particularly popular Pamela Anderson £200,000 to compete in the disaster of 2013 would somehow send the ratings soaring.

The fans showed just how fascinating they found this past-her-sell-by date Baywatch biddy... by voting her out in the very first week. Which meant that her pathetic stumbling contribution cost ITV a stunning £1000 a second.

But that was always the Ice follies' central problem. Unlike Strictly, it never could attract the big names. Just an endless succession of non-entities either trying to rescue their flatlining careers... or to start them.

And then there was the sidekick issue. With her plunging neckline and winning vacant smile, bubbly happy Holly Willoughby was the perfect foil for main man Phil Schofield....

But when the bland bland bombshell left to join The Voice, ITV landed poor Phil with Daybroken Christine Bleakley. Who for two years has just about been mediocre. Which is nowhere near enough.

Looking back, I wish we'd seen more spills and less alleged thrills. The contestants' ineptitude was far more entertaining than their vague competence. Especially, when it was followed by Mr Gardiner's often hilariously OTT vitriol.

This Sunday night nonsense was never really my cup of tea. It was a load of old Boleros...

But it became part of the TV tapestry. So in some ways I'll be sad to se e Dancing On Ice go. It's the end of an error.