Emma Bunton is new Dancing On Ice judge

Bunton will make her Dancing On Ice debut early next year

Spice Girl Emma Bunton is to join ITV's Dancing On Ice as a judge, it has been revealed.

Bunton, 33, said she was "excited" to be joining the show when it returns for a fifth series in the New Year.

"I have been a huge fan of since it began and to be working with Torvill and Dean! I can't wait to get started," she said.

Bunton will join Robin Cousins, Jason Gardiner, Karen Barber and Nicky Slater on the judging panel.

She will replace singer and actress Ruthie Henshall, who left at the end of the last series.

Bunton is the only judge on the panel who has no ice-skating experience.

She told ITV1's This Morning: "I'm there for the performance, the connection with the audience, the choreography.

"I have been performing for a long time now. I just know what I want to see in a performance. That's going to be a big part of it for me. I can skate a little."

Bunton appeared on The X Factor last year to help Dannii Minogue choose the over-25 finalists, and finished third in Strictly Come Dancing in 2006.