CELEB Donna’s set to be dancing on Air
WE officially have some Geordie interest on the new series of Dancing on Ice as former Byker Grove star Donna Air has been confirmed for the show.
Donna, officially revealed the news on Friday lunchtime’s edition of ITV talkshow Loose Women, is the latest famous face to join the line-up for the big return of the programme that was a big ratings winner for the channel from 2006 to 2013.
Donna, who has reportedly just split from Kate Middleton’s brother James, starred in Byker Grove in its hey day alongside Ant and Dec and went on to forge a pop career, travelling the world firstly in Byker Groove/Crush, alongside co-star Jayni Hoy.
She then returned to the UK after signing to MTV hosting daily live show – MTV Select, and later became a presenter of several shows, including, The Big Breakfast for Channel 4, TFI Friday with Huey Morgan, and Popstars: The Rivals Extra for ITV.
Donna, who was born in Wallsend and grew up in Gosforth, has also acted in many television dramas, as well as presenting Five’s early evening, magazine programme Live from Studio Five, alongside regular presenter of the programme, Kate Walsh.
In 2013 she came fourth in celebrity TV diving challenge Splash. In 2016 she appeared on Celebrity Masterchef, where she left viewers confused thanks to her very unGeordie like accent.
Donna, now 38, has a 13-yearold daughter, Freya, from a previous relationship with multi-millionaire conservationist Damian Aspinall.
She has been a contributing style editor for Hello magazine for the past three years and works with fashion brands as a business advisor and consultant.
A start date has yet to be revealed for the new series of Dancing on Ice although it has been confirmed that skating legends Torvill and Dean will move from being coaches to being judges and will be joined on the panel by Diversity star Ashley Banjo and the show’s own Mr Nasty, Jason Gardiner.
Other contestants who have already been revealed include Brooke Vincent who plays Coronation Street’s Sophie Webster and Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker.
The third confirmed contestant was one half of Love Island’s winning couple – Kem Cetinay and former X Factor and I’m A Celebrity contestant Jake Quickenden was Wallsend-born Donna Air is to join the line-up for the next series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice revealed as the fourth.
Joining them are former Bake Off winner Candice Brown, rugby player Max Evans, cricketer Monty Panesar and weather presenter Alex Beresford.