Dancing on Ice 2023: Vanessa Bauer pays tribute to Joey Essex ahead of series final amid relationship rumours

Dancing on Ice’s Vanessa Bauer has posted a sweet tribute to her celebrity skating partner Joey Essex ahead of their final appearance on the show.

The German skater, 26, has been skating with The Only Way Is Essex star, 32, from Southwark, amid growing rumours that they are together.

Vanessa took to her Instagram to share how ‘proud’ of Joey she is following Sunday’s semi-final, which saw the couple make it to the figure skating competition’s final.

The pair are seen arm in arm in a snap as they stand in a cinema watching the highlights of their time on the show.

Vanessa and Joey have been the centre of attention on this series of Dancing on Ice with mass speculation that the pair are dating.

The post has done little to dispel rumours with the couple looking cosy as they watched a film about their time on the figure skating competition.

Vanessa, who has been linked to her previous Dancing on Ice partners, shared an emotional post as the couple approached the final.

She told her followers: “One of the most beautiful things about making it to the final is that we get to watch back our journey in this gorgeous cinema.

“@joeyessex was not a performer, dancer or professional with any sort of training that would’ve helped him on this @dancingonice journey. He came into this experience wanting to learn from me with so much dedication to get better every single day, and he did!

“I can’t express enough how proud I am to watch him evolve to come this far. Thank you thank you for your support it means so much”

Joey Essex responded to the sweet post by commenting: “I’m so proud of us!! This journey has been better than I could of ever imagined. We are at the final and couldn’t be happier. Bring on Sunday!”

On Saturday, Vanessa shared a photo of them cosying up behind the scene of Dancing on Ice as she laid on Joey’s shoulder.

It came just weeks after Joey had attempted to kiss the figure skater on live television after they had performed their Film Week routine.

After a routine inspired by High School Musical, with the pair dressed as Troy and Gabriella, Joey leaned in to kiss Vanessa on the lips.

Despite the impressive routine, it will likely be remembered for the kills that left fans of the show ‘cringing’ at the awkward moment.

Fans have previously taken to social media to complain about the focus Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were putting onto the pair to reveal the nature of their relationship.

Instead of focusing on the pair’s skating, the hosts of Dancing on Ice chose to pressure Joey and Vanessa into talking about their personal lives.

The pair have chosen to not talk about their personal relationship, with Joey making subtle hints that the couple were dating.

Joey has previously revealed he has a “soft spot” for the figure skater adding that the pair were “taking it slow”.

The couple have also been spotted kissing backstage after one of the live shows as Joey and Vanessa had skated as Danny and Sandy from Grease.