Eleven celebrities are ready to risk life and limb on ITV’s Dancing On Ice with the star-studded line-up trying their best not to slip up under the watchful gaze of judges Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo. Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern will be guiding us through the 2025 series, and it seems that contestant Ferne McCann has already had a taste of the darker side of ice-skating.
Despite looking like a natural on the ice in training snaps with pro skater Brendyn Hatfield, the former TOWIE star, 34, admitted her first encounter with the rink was less than smooth. “My first ever experience on the ice wasn’t great and left me scarred, it was the first time I ever went to A&E and got stitches,” she confessed.
“I went to an ice skating party when I was seven and this boy skated into me and his skate went into my leg, but I love that story because like anything in my life, I get back up and here we are.”
Joining Ferne on the ice are 10 other brave celebs who would probably rather not hear about skating injuries while they’re in training.
Dan Edgar
Dan Edgar, reality star and heartthrob from The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE), is geared up to skate his way to victory on Dancing On Ice, confident despite his novice status. “Joey Essex is a very good friend of mine who has previously done the show and he’s given me a bit of advice,” he shares confidently. “And I know Diags and Lockie will be there.”
Dan’s aims high, stating firmly, “I’m going for the win,” though it’s not the slippery ice that worries him—it’s the wardrobe!
“I’m a bit nervous about the outfits, I’ve said that as long as they keep me away from the little sparkly hot pants it should be fine.”
Mollie Pearce
Mollie Pearce, who starred on the second series of The Traitors, won’t face any backstabbing on the ice, but the thought of performing live in front of a crowd is giving her jitters. “The thought of a big crowd makes me nervous,” she candidly admits.
“I’ve never done anything with a live audience so it will be a first, which is why I think I’m apprehensive.”
Chelsee Healey
Chelsee Healey, the beloved Hollyoaks actress and a previous runner-up on 2011’s Strictly Come Dancing, is stepping back into the limelight after having her second child, Cookie, in December 2023. Brimming with excitement, she says, “I’m a performer at heart, so being a part of a big production and in that bubble is just a dream for me, so I can’t wait to get going,” Chelsee remains upbeat, joking, “As long as I don’t spend half the time on my bum I’ll be alright!”
Michaela Strachan
Springwatch’s Michaela Strachan, 58, has swapped her home in Cape Town for the ice rink. With her son starting university in the UK, the timing couldn’t be better.
However, the former children’s TV presenter admits she’s a bit nervous about the potential for injury. “My partner is extremely concerned that I’m going to injure myself,” says Michaela, who shares son Ollie with partner Nick Chavallier.
“The first thing we did when I was asked to do the show was watch the accidents on YouTube which is probably the worst thing to do.”
Charlie Brooks
EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks, 43, is embracing new opportunities and saying yes to the world!
She’s excited about her decision to join Dancing on Ice. “I’ve spent so much time overthinking things whereas now I’m in an era of my life where I just think why not. I don’t ever like to be in my comfort zone and this is taking me massively outside of my comfort zone.”
She adds, “If I can learn to do a little twizzle on the ice, I’ll be very pleased.”
Sam Aston
Coronation Street’s Chesney, played by Sam Aston, is ready for a new challenge after more than 20 years on the ITV soap. “I’ve never done anything like this before but some of my Corrie cast have been on the show and only have positive things to say so I thought why not,” the 31 year old says.
“It’s going to be nice to do something as Sam. I think in life it’s important to do things that scare you and take you out of your comfort zone.”
Josh Jones
Comedian Josh, 32, known for his cheeky humour on shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats, is thrilled to be part of a show that his grandparents can actually watch. “Doing something that my grandparents can watch because that never usually happens,” he shared excitedly.
“It’s something they can watch as it’s not me on a panel show being inappropriate.”
However, he’s quick to admit that his moves might not set the ice on fire, joking, “My dancing isn’t great, I don’t know many gay men with rhythm as bad as mine. A lot of gay men can dance but I have no rhythm, I can’t even clap on beat.”
Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor, the Love Island alum, is determined to avoid any embarrassing tumbles and has already dubbed them “Gemma Collins moments” after the TOWIE star’s infamous fall. He’s also quite apprehensive about the skates, confessing, “I’m nervous about dancing with razor blades on my feet and potentially getting injured,” and recalling past injuries, “I’ve hurt my elbows skating before and was in pain for quite a while so that scares me.”
Anton Ferdinand
Anton Ferdinand, 39, the former footballer, is lacing up his skates for a very special fan – his seven year old daughter Lilah. “She loves performing arts so we can share this experience together,” he explains, seeing it as a bonding opportunity.
Post-retirement, Anton is embracing new challenges and believes Dancing On Ice will provide him with much-needed structure. “I’m in a new phase of my life, and one thing I’ve personally struggled with in my transition is structure and this will give me focus and structure every day.”
Sir Steve Redgrave
Olympic legend Sir Steve Redgrave has opened up about the unique challenges he’ll face on Dancing on Ice, revealing that his diabetes and Dupuytren’s contracture could complicate his performance. The 62 year old athlete shared: “I’ve been diabetic for almost thirty years so the sensation in my feet isn’t as good as it used to be so navigating my footing on the ice could be a problem,” and “I also have Dupuytren’s contracture which affects my hands meaning I can’t make them flat, so if I do fall over, although I’m planning not to, it means I may have trouble getting up.”