Manchester Evening News

RINK IN THE NEW YEAR

As ITV’s Dancing On Ice returns, DANIELLE DE WOLFE speaks to the celebrity contestant­s hoping for blades of glory

- DENISE VAN OUTEN

BRINGING forth a new wave of famous faces, this year’s Dancing On Ice line-up is ready and waiting to don the sequins, quell their nerves and put their best skate forward as they step on to the ice.

The ITV favourite is a muchneeded remedy to help chase away the January blues, as 12 new celebritie­s put their balance and co-ordination to the test live on national television.

The series will once again see the return of This Morning presenting duo Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, alongside Olympic gold medal winning duo Jayne Torvill and Christophe­r Dean, Doctor Who star John Barrowman and choreograp­her and Diversity member Ashley Banjo.

Let’s meet the celebritie­s from the Dancing On Ice class of 2021.

JASON DONOVAN

BEST known for starring alongside Kylie Minogue in hit Australian soap opera Neighbours, actor and singer Jason, 52, finds himself swapping equators this time around for his on-ice debut.

“I’m a surfer, I’m a skateboard­er, I’m a bike rider, I’m a skier. I love adrenaline. So I drew to skating for all those reasons...

“It’s one thing to skate around the Natural History Museum with your daughter at Christmas and it’s another thing to do a j-twizzle and a nutcracker with your partner.”

REBEKAH VARDY

HAVING taken part in critter-filled favourite I’m A Celebrity, 38-yearold Rebekah – wife of England footballer Jamie Vardy – is ready to swap the jungle for the ice rink.

“I seem to be the only one who’s ended up hurting my pro, putting him in hospital.

“We were practising a trick and we changed it slightly from something that we would normally do. On this occasion, it went very wrong and the back of my heel and my blade sliced his face open.

“Yeah, it was quite scary.”

GRAHAM BELL

OLYMPIC skier Graham, 55, is no stranger to cold climates and icy surroundin­gs. That being said, swapping skis for skates might just be his biggest challenge yet.

“I come in with a little bit of skating ability, we used to play ice hockey, we used to mess about on the ice, do a little bit of speed skating, and there is a slight crossover between skiing and skating, but when you start to perform – and I have zero dance training – I just don’t have the posture yet.”

ACTRESS and presenter Denise, 46, is no stranger to performing in front of large audiences, however, the ice is set to add an entirely new element to proceeding­s.

“I’m forever hitting my toe picks and going flying.

“I literally don’t think I’ve had one training session where I haven’t fallen over, and I have genuinely never been on ice before. I’ve never skied before in my life.”

SONNY JAY

RADIO presenter Sonny, 27, is the latest Capital FM DJ to take to the ice, after fellow presenter Roman Kemp came third on the 2019 instalment of the show.

“Roman is very excited for me to do this show, he was the first person I told that I was doing it because you don’t know what people’s reactions would be.

“He was just like, ‘Great, it’s a perfect opportunit­y for you to go on to a platform like that and show everyone who you are.’”

FAYE BROOKES

BEST known for her role as Kate Connor on ITV soap Coronation Street, Faye, 33, is channellin­g all her panto and on-screen experience ahead of the live shows.

“No matter how much training we’ve had dance-wise – and it was a while ago I did dance myself too – it does go against you because it’s the complete opposite.

“Hamish (Gaman, Faye’s ice dancing partner) is like, ‘You’re doing the wrong arm!’ and I’m like, ‘How is that wrong?!”’

RUFUS HOUND

IT’S safe to say that comedian Rufus, 41, is not entirely enthralled or prepared for life on the ice, as he dons his skates and throws himself into rehearsals.

“At no point in my life did I ever want to do ice skating or be an ice dancer. I find myself in a position where this is what I have to do to pay my mortgage...

“I’ve already been training with Victoria for three months and it’s three months I will never get back.”

LADY LESHURR

BRITISH rapper Lady, 32, swaps the mic for the rink as she discovers the plus side of learning to figure skate.

“One of the questions that I asked was, ‘Does it help you get a booty?’ and they said, ‘Yeah, you do get some good buns when you skate’, so I was like, ‘Yeah, sign me up then’.”

MYLEENE KLASS

POP star-turned-presenter Myleene, 42, is out to challenge people’s perception­s.

Combining motherhood with ice skating? She says it can definitely be done.

“I’m doing this because I am in my 40s. I’m 42, I’m a mum of three, I’m a stepmum of two, and we’re not written off.

“I want to go forwards on the ice, I want to go backwards on the ice, and I want a J-Lo butt, so hopefully if I can tick all those three, I’ve won already.”

COLIN JACKSON

WELSH hurdler and world record holder Colin, 53, is channellin­g all his sporting prowess (and Strictly Come Dancing experience) into this challenge.

“One of the most important things I guess in dance is always finishing; finishing your arm action, having complete lines, posturing. “Obviously I was a finalist in Strictly, so I learnt a lot of dancing technique along the way.”

BILLIE FAIERS

TOWIE cast member Billie, 30, is well and truly stepping out of her comfort zone, with nerves being her biggest challenge.

“I’m just nervous in general. I think because I’ve never done anything like this and especially not live. I just hope that I look OK doing it. It’s so out of my comfort zone.”

JOE-WARREN PLANT

EMMERDALE actor Joe-Warren, 18, has already experience­d his fair share of tumbles.

“With the first two weeks when we started training, I went on to the ice without my knee pads on, which usually I would’ve done, and fell directly on to the knee.

“We had to miss like four sessions because of it.”

Dancing on Ice returns to ITV tonight at 6pm.

 ??  ?? L-R: Colin Jackson CBE, Denise Van Outen, Graham Bell, Lady Leshurr, Sonny Jay, Faye Brookes, Billie Faiers, Jason Donovan, Joe-Warren Plant, Myleene Klass, Rebekhah Vardy and Rufus Hound
L-R: Colin Jackson CBE, Denise Van Outen, Graham Bell, Lady Leshurr, Sonny Jay, Faye Brookes, Billie Faiers, Jason Donovan, Joe-Warren Plant, Myleene Klass, Rebekhah Vardy and Rufus Hound
 ??  ?? Judges John Barrowman, Jayne Torvill, Christophe­r Dean and Ashley Banjo
Judges John Barrowman, Jayne Torvill, Christophe­r Dean and Ashley Banjo
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? Dancing on Ice presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield
Dancing on Ice presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield

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