Comeback that really cuts Ice
AFTER four years in deep freeze, ITV’s biggest prime time vehicle Dancing On Ice came slip-sliding its way back on to our goggle boxes with a bang.
More exciting than before, with better technology and more sparkle, the ten-week series has clearly been upgraded.
For the first time it has its own purposebuilt ice studio, which really makes the performances pop. And it’s not just a fresh set – it’s got a fresh attitude.
Skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have swapped their roles as mentors to head the judging panel alongside TV’s most toxic talent, Jason Gardiner, and an adorable new judge, Diversity’s Ashley Banjo.
Gorgeous Holly Willoughby, who looked stunning in a plunging gown, was also back as co-host with Phillip Schofield.
“The studio has been freezing,” he told the audience. “I even put hand warmers down my boxers.” He should have put them down Holly’s front – she looked a bit chilly, but I’m sure she was s sending temperatures soaring for husbands watching her at home. Last week’s opener, included Corrie star Antony “I’m looking forward to the showing off” Cotton, X Factor’s Jake Quickenden, Love Island hunk Kem Cetinay, Olympian Perri Shakes-Drayton, Bake Off winner Candice Brown and my own client (I do get around) Hollyoaks star Stephanie Waring.
Tonight sees the rest sliding their stuff, including Corrie’s Brooke Vincent and Bucks Fizz’s Cheryl Baker.
Retort
Jason is as nasty as you remember him. His critique of Antony included ‘Were you (meant to be) a waiter or a gigolo?’ When Antony replied with a witty retort about drinks, Jason said: “If I’d had a drink, you would have looked better.”
His scores were as low as his jokes. And he even crossed swords with the hosts. Phil rightly defended Holly, quipping: “Don’t you snap at my girl!” That told him.
Let’s be honest here, the thrill of this show is wondering who is going to come a cropper – but no one did. Reality star AT AN age when most actors complain of being put out to pasture or moan that there are no meaty roles for older females, along comes 54-year-old Sarah Lancashire forcing industry critics to eat their words. When she burst on to our screens in Coronation Street as scatterbrain Raquel and tottered up the cobbles with her beloved Curly Watts (Kevin Kem seemed most popular with the judges. “I proper enjoyed it, although I was shaking a lot,” he said after managing not to fall on his peachy bum. But my fave was Stephanie, not because I represent her, but because she fell the most in rehearsals, so to see her smash the routine left me grinning like a proud showbiz mum.
Presenter Donna Air and rugby hottie Max Evans will also show us what they’ve got on this evening’s show. Let’s hope they cut the mustard as there’s already been one eviction, racing commentator Matt Chapman. His style just didn’t quite fit.
DOI is definitely the hardest show on TV – one wrong move and you’re going home in an ambulance. It makes Strictly Come Dancing look like a walk in the park.
It reminds me of a famous Ginger Rogers quote. When asked about Fred Astaire’s performance in a joint routine, Ginger said: “I did everything he did... only backwards and in high heels.”
And that’s the difference between these two shows. You need to be a lot braver to Dance On Ice. Kennedy) we all took the lovable and ditzy barmaid to our hearts. When she quit the Street in 1996, her final scenes pulled in over 20 million viewers and since then her career has gone from strength to strength. Today she is TV gold and one of Britain’s best and favourites dramatic actors, forging an awardwinning career through her gritty and down-to-earth performances. From tackling comedy in the acclaimed series Last Tango In Halifax to winning her first TV Bafta for her brilliant portrayal as nononsense Sgt Catherine Cawood in BBC cop drama Happy Valley, Sarah can turn her hand to anything and usually ends up stealing the show. She’s done it again in Channel 4 drama Kiri – and my bet is there will be another award on the cards. Better start clearing some space in the loo, love…