Happy Mondays star Bez has been left 'gutted' after testing positive for COVID-19 - one day after making his debut on Dancing On Ice.  

Mark Berry - who is better known as Bez, 57, sent fans wild with his ridiculous watermelon and maracas-themed routine during Sunday's  launch show - and avoided the skate-off despite landing bottom of the leaderboard.

The dancer told the Daily Star: 'I've had a positive test. I'm gutted because I'm going to be missing training but I'm looking forward to skating on the show again for Week Three and I'll be tuning at home and cheering on my mates who are skating this weekend.'

An ITV spokesman told MailOnline: 'We have stringent protocols in place to ensure the health and safety of all our contributors and staff which are routinely monitored and updated to reflect the current guidelines.' 

Bez is due to skate on the show again in two weeks. This Sunday's show will see the second group of six celebrities take to the ice. 

From Monday January 17, people with COVID-19 in England can end their self-isolation after 5 full days, as long as they test negative and do not have a temperature on day 5 and day 6. 

Individuals who are still positive on their rapid lateral flow tests must stay in isolation until they have had 2 consecutive negative tests taken on separate days.

Last year Joe-Warren Plant, Vanessa Bauer and Rufus Hound bowed out of the series after testing positive for COVID-19.     

This comes after Bez joined pro skater Angela Egan for a fun-filled routine as he arrived on a pair of giant maracas, wearing a crash helmet.

Bez was supported during the show by his friend and bandmate Shaun Ryder, who drove onto the rink in a flame-covered ice esurfacer. 

Although fans loved Bez's eccentric routine, he sadly landed bottom of the leaderboard after earning just 12.5 points out of 40 from the judges.

He was given 3 points by Ashley Banjo, 3.5 ponts by new judge Oti Mabuse 3.5 and 3 points from both Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.

Bez performed to his own song Step On [Happy Mondays] and following the scores, Phillip told Bez he was the 'only person we've had come out onto the ice wearing a crash helmet', adding: 'Because we're protecting your melon man'.

When quizzed on how much padding he was wearing, Bez made a joke about protecting his manhood from a fall.

He said: 'I've got helmet, back brace, padding and most importantly of all - protecting my maracas.'

Chris said: 'Skating is hard, you've shown how hard it is. You've got a mark for turning up, standing up and a mark for that jump.'

Ashley said: 'You've got my respect, if anyone needed to wear a crash helmet - I don't think they'd come out. But you have. Forgot the scores I was genuienly entertained.'

Viewers loved Bez's crazy routine and took to Twitter to share their delight following his perfomrance.

One person said: 'May not be a great skater, but at least Bez is having fun and he didn't fall! Respect #DancingOnIce.'

Another said: 'We've honestly already seen a TV highlight of the year with Bez on #DancingOnIce moving to You're Twisting My Melon man. That was funny.'

A third penned: 'The maracas, the song, the poor dancing, the watermelon dancers on ice, Shaun Ryder shouting in the audience and the crash helmet! I absolutely loved it.' 

One person argued: 'So Sally does naff all skating on her own and spent half of time on partners back but gets decent score... Bez actually has a go and even a little jump and gets diddly squat.' 

Another joked: 'Finally come Sunday night content to rival the Heartbeat days.'

A different person said: 'Bez on Dancing On Ice! The kind of Sunday night viewing everyone needs. Melon helmet.'

One other said: 'Watching Bez on Dancing On Ice has truly been the best thing to happen in 2022 so far.'   

Elsewhere, Brendan Cole impressed the judges with the 'best first performance ever' as he topped the leaderboard with a total of 30.5 out of 40 points.

Although the former Strictly pro, 45, and his partner Vanessa Bauer achieved an incredible score for his first routine, he received some backlash online has many viewers pointed out his professional dancer background.

While it was a successful evening for the New Zealand-born ballroom dancer, it was a different story for TV presenter Ria Hebden and partner Łukasz Różycki, who landed in the skate off after securing 24.5 points.