Comedian/presenter Matt Richardson and his pro-skater partner Vicky Ogden are joining the line up of Dancing on Ice from this weekend.

This follows the departure of Rufus Hound who announced in a video message via his Twitter account that he has sadly had to withdraw from the 2021 competition. 

Hound said: "I will no longer be participating in @dancingonice COVID is - as I'm sure we're all well aware - a bastard and sadly the world isn't short of those."

In a six minute YouTube clip he said: "I want to say two things. Firstly that I will no longer be participating in Dancing on Ice." He explained that he had been quarantining after coming into contact with someone who had Covid but it turned out that he had also had Covid. "Unfortunately the rules are very strict and they need to keep everybody as safe as possible." He said he thought there might be a window of opportunity to get back to the show after quarantining, but it's "a window which I now know doesn't exist. That's it. That is the reason I'm not on Dancing on Ice...and that sucks."

The other thing he wanted to touch on "that also sucks," was the way various journalists have encouraged their readership "to think of me as scum" because of things he has tweeted in the past. He explained that there was more to it than saying sorry and that was why he has not deleted his Twitter feed. It's about "owning your shit." 

He also criticised the press for sending journalists to his parents' house, particularly during the pandemic: "They were out to get me," he added. "Please know that this is not your victory. Or if it is your victory please know that you are technically on the same side as a virus."

Richardson tweeted: "I don’t tweet anymore really but I am breaking the rule to say plz plz vote for me so I keep my lil skates on for as long as possible."

Dancing on Ice, Sunday, 7th February, 6pm, ITV1

Picture: ITV