Dancing On Ice chaos as Sarah Storey QUITS with nasty injury weeks before show starts
DAME Sarah Storey has withdrawn from Dancing On Ice after suffering a painful injury.
The athlete, 47, broke the news to fans this morning and shared a picture of her injured leg in a cast.
She wrote: “Absolutely gutted to have my Dancing on Ice training interrupted in this way – just as my first routine with @slongchambon was really coming together!
“An awkward stumble and fall with my left foot stuck on the ice sadly led to me fracturing my left ankle.
“I’m so fortunate that both Sylvain and Coach @stephenpickavance were by my side and knew exactly what to do and that the medical backup for the show is truly world class.”
Dame Sarah – who was partnered with Sylvain Longchambon – said she will be cheering on her co-stars and is already working on a plan with ITV for what happens next, suggesting she could return in 2026.
She continued: “In the meantime I’ll be fully focused on all the strength and mobility work I need to do to get back to full power and of course back to my bike ahead of next season!
“My career has seen so many ups and downs with injury and illness, plus returning after two babies, which means I’m well equipped for another comeback.
“Thankfully the surgeon said I have strong bones so otherwise it could have been a lot worse.
“So for now my plans might be interrupted….. but you better believe there’s more news to come!”
Sarah is Team GB’s most successful Paralympian EVER having won 19 gold medals as a cyclist and swimmer.
She was born with an under-developed left hand as her arm was tangled while in the womb.
She previously said: “I didn’t believe I had enough of a disability.
“When I first came into disabled cycling, it took the whole team of staff a while to convince me that it isn’t just about legs – upper body control is vital, too.”
She started competing from a young age and was training hard while a school girl – which led her to be taunted by classmates.
Not letting the bullies get her down, Sarah focused on her competitions and had five medals to her name by the time she turned 18.
She competed as a swimmer until 2005 – at which point she switched to cycling.
In the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, when Sarah was just 14, she won two gold medals, three silver, and one bronze.
And while her success continued in the pool, persistent ear infections caused her to change her sport of choice and swap the swimming costumes for the bike saddle.
She made the change in 2005 and her continued success in sport has seen her crowned the most successful female Paralympic athlete in British sport history – and one of the most successful Paralympic athletes in the world.
At the London 2012 Games she was the first to nab a gold for the home nation, finishing first in the women’s individual C5 pursuit
After the 2024 Paralympic Games, Sarah has 19 golds to her name – five in swimming and an impressive 14 in cycling.
She won both the time trial and road race in Paris at the age of 46.
The former swimmer also has eight silvers and three bronze Paralympic medals in the sport.
Sarah holds more than 140 national titles, 73 world records, 29 World Championship titles, 21 European titles and 7 World Cup titles.
Dancing On Ice 2025 pairings
Eric Radford and Charlie Brooks
Vanessa Bauer and Chris Taylor
Brendyn Hatfield and Mollie Pearce
Chelsee Healey and Andy Buchanan
Michaela Strachan and Mark Hanretty
Ferne McCann and Brendyn Hatfield
Dan Edgar and Vanessa James
Sir Steve Redgrave and Vicky Ogden
Anton Ferdinand and Annette Dytrt
Dame Sarah Storey and Sylvain Longchambon
Sam Aston and Molly Lanaghan
TBC and Tippy Packard