CORRIE STAR LOVES SKATE ESCAPE

more biting criticism as judges. He said: “Jayne and Chris were always choreographing the dances, that’s what they specialised in doing.

“It meant Chris’s hands were on all of the dances, so when it came to discussing them on air he had to be careful what he said. He couldn’t have the strong opinion

I wanted him to have, because they’d been working with those celebs all day. They had a compassion for them and a vested interest.

“Now that’s not the case it will free up Jayne and Chris to be as opinionated as I know they are.

“At the same time it means the pros will be the choreographers. That’s very important because they’re really competi- CORONATION Street fave Antony Cotton can’t wait to skate on ice instead of putting it in drinks. Antony, 42, who plays barman Sean Tully, admits he is looking forward to taking a break from Weatherfield for Dancing On Ice. He said: “I’ve been on Corrie for 15 tive – they’ll push their skating and their celebs, maybe harder, maybe faster.”

But the thing Phillip is still looking forward to most is seeing the competing celebrities fall over on the ice.

He smiled: “We all love that. It’s lovely to see someone go down – provided that they don’t get hurt.

“Of course you do get nervous, it’s ice years and have done a few of these shows. I love Coronation Street. It’s been really good to me but it’s a routine.

”This gives you a different take on life. A change is as good as a rest.” Antony finished fourth on 2011’s I’m A Celebrity, the same position as best mate and Corrie co-star Jennie McAlpine this year. He said Jennie’s late dad Tom advised him against appearing on ITV’s skating show.

The actor recalled: “He said: ‘Don’t do Dancing on Ice because it’s dangerous.’ And it is.”

At least Antony will not be the only Corrie representative. Co-star Brooke Vincent, 25, will be appearing on the ice beside him.