ITV has confirmed that the new series of Dancing On Ice will begin as planned later this month.

The long-running celebrity skating contest will return on Sunday, January 17 with contestants including Denise van Outen, Rebekah Vardy and Jason Donovan.

Earlier this week the government imposed a new national lockdown in England but exceptions for TV production mean that Dancing On Ice can still continue, albeit with some changes.

The plan to have a limited studio audience in attendance for the weekly recordings has been ditched, while members of the judging panel will be separated from each other by perspex screens.

The celebrities and their professional partners have already bubbled up for training and the duration of the series, but all couples will be required to maintain distance from each other while on set.

Meanwhile, the group dance routines were all pre-recorded in advance at the end of last year and will play out at the start of each show.