Can Dancing on Ice history help to predict 2024's winner?

The Dancing On Ice 2024 finalists are preparing to take to the rink for the very last time to compete for the chance to be crowned the winner.

The latest series will see Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas, BBC Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts, Olympic athlete Greg Rutherford and Made In Chelsea star Miles Nazaire skate it out to win the trophy this year. They have all rehearsed tirelessly to make it to the final of the 16th series of the ITV skating reality show. Each of the celebrities have impressed the judges with their skating skills, but when it comes to the final, the viewers' vote decides the winner.

So could one of the celebrities already be at an advantage? We take a look back at the past winners of the skating competition to see what qualities make a Dancing On Ice winner.

What kind of celebrity career makes a Dancing On Ice champion?

Being an actor puts celebrity contestants at a clear advantage of winning the skating show. Almost half - 47% - of previous Dancing On Ice champions have come from an acting background. And not just any kind of acting - specifically in soap operas.

Gaynor Faye, who won the original series back in 2006 was known for her starring roles in Coronation Street and Emmerdale. X Factor runner-up Ray Quinn, who as a child starred in Brookside and has also appeared in Hollyoaks and on the West End stage has won the show twice, first in 2009 and the All-Stars series in 2014.

Other soap actor winners included Coronation Street and Emmerdale star Hayley Tamaddon, Emmerdale's Matthew Wolfenden, and EastEnders stars Joe Swash and Sam Attwater. And Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw won Dancing On Ice in 2008 and went on to star in Emmerdale.

So in this year's final - Corrie star Ryan Thomas stands a good chance.

Are Dancing On Ice winners older or younger?

The celebs who scoop the Dancing On Ice trophy have been getting younger in recent years. Last year's champion skater, Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson, is just 28, five years younger than the runner-up Joey Essex. In 2023 Gazza's daughter, dancer Regan Gascoigne won the show, she is also just 28. The runner-up that year was Strictly star Brendan Cole, who is 47.

And in 2022 singer Sonny Jay, 30, skated his way to victory taking the trophy from 36-year-old Corrie star Faye Brooks. Two-time champion Ray Quinn was just 20 when he won the shoe the first time in 2009. And Strictly's James Jordan was the oldest contestant to win Dancing On Ice, at the age of 40.

Reality TV star Nazaire is the youngest contestant this year at 28. Athlete Rutherford is next at 37, actor Thomas is next at 39-year-old and Roberts is the eldest contestant in this year's final at the age of 44.

Does where a celebrity comes from affect who will win Dancing On Ice?

There is not that much of a North/South divide when it comes to being voted the winner of Dancing On Ice. 30% of winners were born in the North West of England, while those who come from London or the South East of England make up 27% each.

So it's a close call. Being from the South West of England appears to be the biggest disadvantage, as just 3% of contestants from that region have won the show.

Last year's winner, gymnast Wilson is from Leeds, 2022 champion Gascoigne grew up in Hertfordshire, and the past two winners Britain's Got Talent contestant Sonny Jay and TV presenter Joe Swash hail from Greater London.

This year's finalists all come from the North West or the South East of England. But with Roberts being from Merseyside and Thomas growing up in Manchester, statistically, they have a greater chance of winning.

Who is the favourite to win Dancing On Ice 2024?

Corrie star Ryan Thomas was named the early favourite by bookmakers to win Dancing On Ice 2024 after his very first performance on the rink. The soap actor and his professional skating partner Amani Fancy were awarded the top score of 26.5 out 30 following their debut on the ice in the launch of the new series of the ITV skating show.

Looking back at the qualities that make up a Dancing On Ice champion Thomas ticks a lot of boxes. He is an actor, he is from the North West, but he is not the youngest contestant in the final.

PR expert Lynn Carratt from PressBox PR commented: "Ryan Thomas is a veteran of Reality TV, he won Celebrity Big Brother previously and was a fan favourite on Coronation Street. He is not the strongest skater, but he is very popular with the viewers.

"But to be fair Ryan and partner Amani have been getting better each week, and they definitely deserves to be in the final. I'm not sure he’ll clinch the crown, but he will give it a good go. After the final I’d like to see him take a break from Reality TV and go back to acting. Corrie fans would love to see him back on the cobbles."

Ahead of the final youngest contestant Nazaire is now the bookie's favourite to win and Thomas is now the rank outsider.

William Hill spokesperson, Lee Phelps, said: “All of the finalists have wowed the judges this season, but in the days leading up to the final, it seems Greg Rutherford is the one to have gone on a late charge in the betting. We’ve seen plenty of money for Greg, who has been backed into 6/5 from 11/4, virtually becoming joint-favourite with Miles, who has drifted to 11/10 from 4/5 earlier this week.

“Adele Robert’s price has dropped back out to 9/2 as third favourite, with Ryan Thomas the outlier at 7/1.”

Dancing On Ice 2024 winner odds

• Miles Nazaire 11/10

• Greg Rutherford 6/5

• Adele Roberts 9/2

• Ryan Thomas 7/1

PR expert Lynn Carratt from PressBox PR said: "Miles has been popular since the beginning due to his ambitious skating routines and his rumoured romance with his skating partner Vanessa - although they have since confirmed they are just good friends. The show has propelled him to a whole new audience and I think he will leave Made in Chelsea, which had spoken about in the past, continue building his podcast audience and move into the presenting sphere."

Fans will find out if he is indeed the finalist to claim victory in the very last show of the series on ITV on Sunday 10 March at 6.25pm.

Who has won Dancing On Ice?

Series 1 - Gaynor Faye (Coronation Street and Emmerdale star) in 2006

Series 2 - Kyran Bracken (rugby player) in 2007

Series 3 - Suzanne Shaw (Hear'Say singer and actor) in 2008

Series 4 - Ray Quinn (singer, actor and X factor runner-up) in 2009

Series 5 - Hayley Tamaddon (Coronation Street and Emmerdale star) in 2010

Series 6 - Sam Attwater (EastEnders star) in 2011

Series 7 - Matthew Wolfenden (Emmerdale star) in 2012

Series 8 - Beth Tweddle (Olympic gymnast) in 2013

Series 9 - All Stars - Ray Quinn in 2014

Series 10 - Jake Quickenden (singer and X factor contestant) in 2018

Series 11 - James Jordan (former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer) in 2019

Series 12 - Joe Swash in 2020 (EastEnders star and TV presenter)

Series 13 - Sonny Jay (singer and radio presenter) in 2021

Series 14 - Regan Gascoigne (singer, dancer and daughter of footballer Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne) in 2022

Series 15 - Nile Wilson (Olympic gymnast) in 2023

Data analysis and visualisation by Isabelle Marchand

The final of Dancing On Ice will air on ITV on Sunday 10 March at 6.25pm.

Read more: Dancing On Ice

• Hannah Spearritt not returning for Dancing On Ice final (BANG Showbiz, 2 min read)

• Dancing on Ice's Miles Nazaire and Vanessa Bauer confirm relationship status (Digital Spy, 2 min read)

• DoI star Ryan Thomas reflects on "tough" double fall (Digital Spy, 2 min read)

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/can-dancing-on-ice-history-help-predict-winner-113007634.html