Holly Willoughby has been forced to apologise live on air after seemingly swearing during Sunday's (January 28) episode of Dancing on Ice.

Dancing on Ice is Willoughby's first TV appearance since she stepped down from her role as host of This Morning after 14 years in October. 

She has a new co-host on this year's show with Deal or No Deal's Stephen Mulhern taking over from Phillip Schofield.

Holly Willoughby apologises after appearing to say "naughty word" during Dancing on Ice live show

Willoughby was forced to apologise on tonight's (Sunday, January 28) episode of Dancing on Ice after it appeared she swore during the live show. 

While introducing Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi and her partner Sylvain Longchambon, who performed to a Beetlejuice theme for Movie Week, Mulhern scared Willoughby forcing her to mutter what fans thought was "f*** off". 

People watching the show took to social media to point out the blunder. 

One person on X (formerly Twitter) sharing a video of the incident, said: "Holly Willoughby definitely just dropped an f bomb."

Someone else commented: "Did Holly just drop the F bomb on live TV?"

While a third person said: "HOLLY TOLD STEPHEN TO F*** OFF LIVE ON TV LMAO."

Following the incident, Willoughby apologised clarifying she hadn't used the "naughty word" people thought she'd said.

Willoughby said: "Now a little bit earlier on Stephen made may have made me jump and I think it might have sounded like a naughty word slipped out.

"I don't think I did, but I'm sorry if that's what you thought you heard.

"But I don't think I did, I'll have to watch it back on ITV player because that's where you can watch these things back."

You can catch up on previous episodes of Dancing on Ice on ITVX or watch live every Sunday at 6.20pm on ITV1 and ITVX.