Emmerdale star Joe-Warren Plant has been forced to quit Dancing On Ice after testing positive for coronavirus.
The 18-year-old's professional partner Vanessa Bauer also tested positive during the show's latest round of regular testing for all competitors.
The news means that Plant is the fourth star to quit this year's lineup, with Rufus Hound also contracting COVID-19 and Denise van Outen and Billie Shepherd both pulling out due to injury.
ITV had only two celebrities waiting in reserve, meaning that the show is now two contestants light on where it should have been.
"Having tested positive for COVID this now means the end of the competition for Vanessa and I," said Plant in a statement. "I have loved every minute of being a part of Dancing On Ice and I am disappointed as I feel I had so much more to give and was working hard to perfect each performance.
"Thank you so much to Vanessa for being a fantastic teacher and although its been cut short, I've thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Thank you to all the crew who have been brilliant and especially thanks to the other cast members, they have been hugely supportive and I wish them all the very best."
Just seven couples now remain in the competition, although the series still has six weeks left to run, meaning that producers may decide not to eliminate a couple in at least one of the weeks remaining - or, more radically, ITV could decide to shorten the show's run.
Neil Wilkes
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