Dancing On Ice’s Joey Essex and rumoured girlfriend Vanessa Bauer are said to be facing an agonising split after they skate together one last time at Sunday’s final.
With the former TOWIE star, 32, set to be broken hearted when the German pro, 26, jets home to Berlin following the competition.
A source told The Sun: ‘Vanessa and Joey have really fallen for each other but neither are sure if they want a long-distance relationship’.
‘It is going to come as a huge shock for the pair’.
Before adding: ‘Joey might be smitten, but he has a busy work schedule in the UK and doesn’t speak German.’
Rocky road: Dancing On Ice’s Joey Essex, 32, and rumoured girlfriend Vanessa Bauer, 26, are said to be facing an agonising split after they skate together one last time at Sunday’s final
Sad: With the former TOWIE star set to be broken hearted when the German pro jets home to Berlin following the competition
Joey recently revealed that he and Vanessa will pay homage to Torvill and Dean’s bolero in the upcoming final.
Appearing on Friday’s instalment of Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, he said of what DOI viewers can expect to see: ‘The bolero. We’re stealing some of Torvill & Dean’s moves.’
He also insisted that he and his skate partner are ready to give it their all, telling Kate Garraway and Ben Shepherd: ‘Me and Vanessa have got it. we’ve got it.’
Joey was asked while on Lorraine, if any kissing would be going into his final routine, after he leant in to kiss partner Vanessa during a live performance on the ice, just a few weeks ago.
He insisted: ‘Nah none of that. I feel like I’m training for the Olympics. I’ve not done anything I’ve not gone out, I’ve been dedicated to this competition.’
It comes after Vanessa addressed their relationship for the first time while he admitted that awkward kiss on air was planned.
The skating professional spoke of her ‘bond’ with the reality star, following months of romance rumours between the pair.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s final she told Metro.co.uk: ‘This time I’ve got Joey with me. Obviously we have a bond like I didn’t have with any of my other partners. It’s going to be special.’
Long distance: A source said: ‘Vanessa and Joey have really fallen for each other but neither are sure if they want a long-distance relationship’
Iconic: The duo will take on Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean 1984 Olympic routine the Bolero (pictured)
Joey’s fellow finalists, The Vivienne, 30, and Nile Wilson, 27, will also perform the bolero during this weekend’s final, giving their own twists on the iconic routine.
The Vivienne gushed on GMB: ‘The bolero is something that changed history. I might be paying homage to Jayne with my costume.
‘We want to pay homage to Chris and Jayne. The pressure is on when you’re skating it in front of the people who created it.’
Nile said of what he has planned for his final routine: ‘We’ve got some exciting stuff in store this week. It’s a huge production.
‘You’ve heard of the headbanger, Have you ever seen a headbanger? I can’t confirm or deny,’ before clarifying that it wouldn’t be his skate partner Olivia Smart swinging him around.
British gymnast, Nile, explained the difference between competing in Dancing On Ice compared to competing in the Olympics.
Oops: It comes after Vanessa addressed their relationship for the first time while he admitted that awkward kiss on air was planned
He admitted: ‘It’s up there. It’s the same feelings every time we go out and perform. Training had ramped up now. It’s been just as competitive too. A different experience but an amazing one.’
The star – who is the bookies favourite to win the current series – insisted: ‘Pressure is something you put on yourself. Just enjoy it and do the best you possibly can. We’ve got exciting stuff in store for this routine – very high risk routines.’
According to Ladbrokes, Nile is the 1/5 favourite to win the hit ITV show, with The Vivienne next in the Dancing on Ice betting at 6/1 and Joey Essex trailing behind at 8/1.
Last weekend, The Vivienne suffered a nasty fall during the Dancing On Ice semi-final, and told Lorraine of the experience: ‘I did but the tumbles, we’re literally dancing on ice.
‘We’ve all fallen, the pros have fallen. It’s the dancer of the ice. It shows what we’re putting our bodies through in the name of entertainment.
‘You’ve just gotta carry on, I’ve been training with kneepads and hope it doesn’t happen again during the live show
Later, the drag queen added: ‘It’s the first time I’d really stumbled in a routine. If it was gonna happen, I was glad it happened then because I came out with my personal skate afterwards.’
The trio of stars will perform in the Dancing On Ice final this weekend, in front of the show’s judging panel Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo, while hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield host rinkside.
The final of Dancing on Ice will air on March 12 at 6.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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