Ben Hanlin was voted off Sunday’s instalment of Dancing On Ice – after revealing he’d suffered an injury a gruesome injury during rehearsals.
The 33-year-old magician narrowly missed out on a place in the final of the ITV ice dancing competition, as he and his partner Carlotta Edwards were dumped from the competition.
Ben and Carlotta faced the dreaded skate-off against Paralympian Libby Clegg and her partner Mark Hamretti, and the judging panel – Ashley Banjo, John Barrowman, Jayne Torvill, and Christopher Dean – ultimately voted to save Libby.
Skating away: Ben Hanlin and his skating partner Carlotta Edwards were voted off Sunday’s instalment of Dancing On Ice
Ahead of the skate-off, Libby confessed she wasn’t disappointed to be performing her special routine – which marked her third week in the bottom two – because she had a ‘surprise’ planned, which turned out to be the risky headbanger move.
The move involves the male skater spinning the female skater by her feet, whilst raising and lowering her so her head moves dangerously close to the ice.
Ben was the lowest scorer of the evening before the public vote, earning 37.5 for his first routine – which saw him complete the judges challenge of a 45-second solo skate – and 37.0 for his second, personal skate, which was danced to Lightning Bolt by Jake Bugg in honour of his wife.
Scores: Ben was the lowest scorer of the evening before the public vote, earning 37.5 for his first routine – which saw him complete the judges challenge of a 45-second solo skate
Adding up: The magician earned a score of 37.0 for his second, personal skate, which was danced to Lightning Bolt by Jake Bugg in honour of his wife
Libby, meanwhile, topped the leaderboard after the first routine, after judges were left amazed at her ability to skate solo despite suffering from Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy – a disease which gives her only slight peripheral vision in her left eye – and being registered blind.
The result of the skate-off means Libby and Mark will join Perri Kiely and Vanessa Bauer, and Joe Swash and Alex Murphy in the live final, which will take place next Sunday.
Ben was booted of the show after revealing his partner Carlotta accidentally sliced his arm with her skating boots during an intense rehearsal.
The dancers were in great spirits after after scoring 37 points on last week’s edition, but experienced a setback with the incident.
Visibly concerned, the illusionist asked producers: ‘Can I still skate?’, before he was given the go-ahead.
Sliced: Ben was booted of the show after revealing his partner Carlotta accidentally sliced his arm with her skating boots during an intense rehearsal
Setback: The dancers were in great spirits after after scoring 37 points on last week’s edition, but experienced a setback with the incident
Stressed: Ben revealed that he had been ‘stressed all week’ because of the injury he’d suffered
After performing a solo 45-second set before the Canadian dancer stepped in for a Jazz-inspired routine, judge Ashley awarded Ben with a 9, before John, Jayne, and Christopher, all scored him 9.5s.
‘I’ve been stressed all week so I’m relieved’, he cheered.
Ben’s ousting from Dancing On Ice comes after he revealed that his seven-month-old daughter, Delilah, secretly battled sepsis last month.
The magician and presenter revealed that the tot, who he shares with wife Briony Hanlin, was in hospital for six days after her temperature soared to 103 degrees and she was struggling to breathe with mottled skin.
Ben admitted that he kept quiet about the worrying incident, in which he spent the night on a hospital ward floor, and only performed on Dancing On Ice after Delilah was discharged from hospital.
Saved: Ben and Carlotta were sent home after skating off against Paralympian Libby Clegg and her partner Mark Hamretti. Pictured with hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby
Big moves: The illusionist and TV personality wowed the audience and judges with his moves
Hug it out: Libby and her partner hugged as they learned they had been saved by the judges
The magician, who also has son Elvis, two, said the incident was ‘terrifying’ but Delilah ‘responded really well to the treatment’ which included glucose and antibiotics from doctors.
He added that he wants to raise awareness of sepsis, as he ‘didn’t know anything about it before’, and wants to help other parents spot the signs early.
He told The Sun: ‘The doctors said if we had called the ambulance just half an hour later, it could have been a completely different story. Delilah only responded so well because we called 999 so quickly.’
He added to the publication about his performance on Sunday’s Dancing On Ice: ‘I was grateful to focus on something else for a few hours. I’m enjoying being on the show but with Delilah in hospital it really put things into perspective for me.
Anguish: Ben’s ousting from Dancing On Ice comes after he revealed that his seven-month-old daughter, Delilah, secretly battled sepsis last month
Scary: The magician and presenter, 33, revealed that the tot, who he shares with wife Briony Hanlin, was in hospital for six days after her temperature soared to 103 degrees
‘I didn’t care about my scores because at the end of the day it’s just TV. All that matters is that my kids are healthy.’
Sepsis occurs when the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own organs and tissues.
Some 44,000 people die from sepsis every year in the UK. Worldwide, someone dies from the condition every 3.5 seconds.
Sepsis has similar symptoms to flu, gastroenteritis and a chest infection.
If caught early enough, it’s easily treated with intravenous antibiotics and fluids, but these must be given as soon as sepsis is suspected – it strikes with frightening speed and, for every hour of delay, a patient’s chance of dying increases 8 per cent.
The show must go on: Despite worries home, Ben pressed on with his performances on DOI
Family: Ben kept quiet about the worrying incident, and only performed on DOI after Delilah was discharged from hospital (pictured with wife Briony, Delilah and son Elvis, two)