Oct 16 2011 by Thomas Carlin, The People
HERE is your first peek inside the rink of secrecy as the new Dancing on Ice hopefuls take shakily to their skates.
Coached by Torvill and Dean, the celebrity contestants have been training hard behind closed doors.
The People can reveal the stars battling to become ice kings and queens come from pop, sport, acting, slimming, clothes design and children’s TV presenting.
At first the roll call reads like a battle of the soaps.
Coronation Street is represented by ANDY WHYMENT, 30, who plays Kirk Sutherland. He is pictured deep in concentration as he practises, hanging on to legend Christopher Dean’s every word. From EastEnders there is tough mum Mo Harris – actress LAILA MORSE, 66. She has to hold her arms out wide as if flying in an effort to keep from falling over.
Emmerdale’s David Metcalfe, alias MATTHEW WOLFENDEN, 31, arrived in a Hallowe’en mask but let it slip later. Former Brookside actress JENNIFER ELLISON, 28, must be a favourite as she has studied dance from the age of three – and starred as Roxie in Chicago on the London stage. She also looked intent as Christopher, 53, put her through her paces.
Hollyoaks’ sexy JORGIE PORTER, 23, who stars as Theresa McQueen, is also set to be competing.
Sugababes singer HEIDI RANGE, 28, must be a good bet after lots of practice dancing in videos and on stage. SADIE FROST, 46, has her own fashion label FrostFrench. A close pal of Kate Moss and ex-wife of Jude Law, Sadie also danced in a music video aged 16.
One-time Spurs goalie IAN WALKER, 39, will be out to prove footballers can be just as nifty on ice as on turf. But fellow sports star CHEMMY ALCOTT, 29, should feel more at home as she is Britain’s No1 alpine ski racer.
Slimming and exercise guru ROSEMARY CONLEY, 64, should at least be in good shape when the ITV1 series begins in January.
While former Blue Peter presenter ANDY AKINWOLERE, 28, has never had skating training but has proved he can rise to great feats.
In June he became the first person to swim the five miles across the Palau Trench in the Pacific Ocean.
A source at the Slough, Berks, rink on Friday said: “The contestants were trying not to be seen. Emmerdale’s Matthew wore a Hallowe’en mask. They were really focused on their rehearsals.”
peoplenews@people.co.uk
