Corrie star puts skate fears on ice
LISA George’s worries ahead of her Dancing On Ice appearance are more than just preperformance nerves. The Coronation Street star has opened up about how a childhood injury put an end to her ice skating more than 40 years ago.
Lisa, who plays Beth Tinker on the cobbles, told ITV’s Lorraine about her last encounter with the ice which saw her chin cut open.
She explained: “I did it when I was a child, I did it for a couple of years until I was about nine.
“I was in a competition and I fell. I stuck my blades in the ice and a shard of ice shot up and cut my chin open. That was the end of my skating career. I’m 49 this year so I haven’t been on the ice for 40 years.”
Lisa also opened up about the pearls of wisdom Andrew Whyment, who plays her onscreen fella Kirk Sutherland, had given her ahead of her appearance on the show.
Andrew took part on Dancing On Ice in 2012.
Lisa laughed: “He just told me, ‘it’s really hard work Lis.’”
Host Lorraine Kelly then enquired as to how the Corrie star’s first rehearsal had gone.
Lisa said: “Yesterday was the first session. It was good, I really enjoyed it. I was a bit scared. I was quite nervous because it was really glossy, the ice, and I thought, that’s how I fell. I had this flashback. But I was ok, I didn’t fall over at all.”
The actress also explained how a birthday milestone next year was the catalyst for her taking part.
She said: “It’s a huge birthday for me. I can’t believe I am 50 next year. I just thought, if I don’t do this now, I’m never going to have the chance to do it again. I’m just doing it for me.
“I can’t believe I’m going to go back on the ice. I just felt when I stepped on the ice yesterday, I was a little nine-yearold again. I felt free and I was buzzing, really happy.
“It was a really weird experience. I got in my car and I was quite emotional afterwards.”
Lisa joins Michael Barrymore, Maura Higgins, Kevin Kilbane, Lucrezia Millarini and H in the 2020 line up.