Holly Willoughby has been offered a lucrative deal by ITV bosses to return to host Dancing On Ice next year in a bid to keep her at the channel.

For the first time in 20 years the presenter will not be contracted for a show on the channel after tonight’s finale of the skate series, leaving the door open for their rivals to swoop in and hire her.

But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the programme will be back for another season, and that they are already in talks with Ms Willoughby about her anchoring it alongside Stephen Mulhern in a clear sign to other broadcasters to keep their hands off of their star.

A source close to the show said: ‘Dancing On Ice is definitely coming back in 2025 and the plan is that Holly will host it.

‘Contracts are being negotiated but the chiefs love her and they know that there are others who would love to sign her up but ITV love her and they want to keep her very much part of the ITV furniture for years to come.

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Holly Willoughby has been offered a lucrative deal by ITV bosses to return to host Dancing On Ice next year in a bid to keep her at the channel

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The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the programme will be back for another season, and that they are already in talks with Ms Willoughby about her anchoring it alongside Stephen Mulhern in a clear sign to other broadcasters to keep their hands off of their star

‘Holly has a real fondness for the show, it really catapulted her career from a children’s presenter into grown up television so ITV very much hope that she will agree to the deal.’

Sources say that the upper echelons of ITV are also looking at other big shows that she can present after she quit This Morning after 14 years last October following a plot to kidnap and murder her as the BBC are said to be determined to hire her to host more of their programmes.

Meanwhile, skate experts Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean are said to be ‘super keen’ for the show to return because their tour to celebrate 50 years of skating together will start shortly after next year’s series ends.

A friend of the Olympic champions said: ‘Dancing On Ice will nicely segway into their tour so they are really keen to return next year. It all falls perfectly into place for them.’

After tonight’s show Ms Willoughby, 43, won’t have a commitment at ITV for the first time in two decades.

Her stint at the channel began in 2004 when she hosted Ministry of Mayhem, the show’s title was changed to Holly & Stephen’s Saturday Showdown and in 2006 she began hosting Dancing On Ice alongside Phillip Schofield.

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A source close to the show said: ‘Dancing On Ice is definitely coming back in 2025 and the plan is that Holly will host it’

‘Holly has a real fondness for the show, it really catapulted her career from a children’s presenter into grown up television so ITV very much hope that she will agree to the deal,’ the source added

In 2009, she joined Schofield on This Morning and also reprised the legendary show Surprise, Surprise for four series.

Ms Willoughby also hosted the Xtra Factor and Streetmate on ITV2 as well as Holly & Fearne Go Dating with her friend Fearne Cotton. The star was also a panelist on the now defunct Celebrity Juice.

Tomorrow (MON), Cat Deeley – Ms Willoughby’s This Morning replacement – will start after landing in London yesterday morning (SAT).