Blackpool's Dancing On Ice star Dan Whiston and Cheryl Baker skates on

The couple were skating on thin ice after last Sunday’s debut performance landed them at the bottom of the leaderboard with just 11.5 points awarded by the judges.

But the public votes, cast over just a few minutes during Sunday night’s live broadcast, saved them, and Bake Off star Candice Brown ended up leaving the show.

“It’s really scary to go out there for the first week, but with Cheryl we’re very much on the same page about wanting to just entertain the public and enjoy what we’re doing,” Dan said. “At the bottom of the leaderboard, people voted to save us - and for that we are really very grateful.”

Dan said their new routine for tomorrow’s disco-themed performance would be ‘brilliant’ to a track you ‘dance around a wedding buffet to’ - Abba’s Dancing Queen.

But the experienced professional, who appeared in all nine series of the show’s original run from 2006 to 2014, said viewers can expect a change in the standards seen on screen tomorrow night.

“Week one, we have weeks to work on the routine, but this week there’s been much less time.

“You can expect feathers to fly; people are stressed at having to deliver [like they did last week] in such a short time.

“For Cheryl and me, we’re going to get more skating in the routine, and a scary trick for Cheryl where she’ll be upside down and going quite fast.

It’s hard for her, but not once will she say ‘No’ to anything I suggest.”

Dancing On Ice has returned to ITV on Sunday nights after a four-year break. Dan won the original show three times, with actresses Gaynor Faye and Hayley Tamaddon and Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle.