Battle of the dance shows: Strictly Come Dancing vs Dancing On Ice

On the one hand: Strictly Come Dancing. On the other hand: Dancing On Ice. Light and entertaining, these dance contest programs showcase multiple couples – each of them comprising a celebrity and a professional dancer - who compete for the trophy. These shows are constantly being pitted against each other - but which rival should win the everlasting competition once and for all? 

Strictly Come Dancing has been broadcast on the BBC since 2004. It's the older, classier and higher-achieving sibling - as opposed to its younger, rowdy and rebellious sibling Dancing On Ice which has been appearing on ITV since 2006. This strong contrast between the two dance shows highlights the 65 years of rivalry between the BBC and ITV – therefore reinforcing the identities and core values of each channel, during a period in which traditional networks are being neglected. 

Strictly Come Dancing embodies pure elegance through its ballroom dancing, its shiny, sparkling clothing and its glitterball trophy, as well as its music band conducted by pianist Dave Arch. Fans of the show cosy up on the sofa as the nights draw in, ready to waltz into the festive period when Christmas cards are written and gifts are wrapped during the Strictly Final.

The principle of Dancing On Ice is identical to its rival, except for the added frozen water making it somewhat more slippery to twirl across the dancefloor. Broadcast in January when everyone’s recuperating from the holiday festivities, the dance contest attempts to start the year with a blast. However, appearing only a few weeks after Strictly Come Dancing when viewers are still in awe after watching the series, Dancing On Ice is naturally compared with its rival. That's when people realise the latter is a knock-off of the former.

There is also a sense of competition between the hosts - Tess Daily & Claudia Winkleman (Strictly Come Dancing) versus Holly Willoughby & Philip Schofield (Dancing On Ice); however, I don’t have a particular preference for this argument. When it comes to the judges though, I think those on Strictly Come Dancing are bubblier and more authentic. Whether it’s Craig Revel Horwood’s ‘fabulous’ pronounced in three syllables and in an RP accent, or Len Goodman’s ‘seven’ with a strong emphasis on the last syllable (back when he was on the show) – these judges ooze with charisma. 

For these reasons, I would pick Strictly Come Dancing over Dancing On Ice without a doubt.