Dancing On Ice is back! Time to get your skates on #1

[TheSassyAssassin]

So the Strictly glitter has settled for another year but to fill the void we have the new series of DOI starting this Sunday at 6pm on ITV1.

Our presenters will be Phil & Holly and our judges are Jason Gardiner (he's the Craig!), Torvill and Dean, and Ashley Banjo (from Diversity).

There are 12 brave stars taking to the ice this year. ’Coronation Street’ actors Anthony Cotton and Brooke Vincent lead the way, alongside ‘Hollyoaks’ star Stephanie Waring, Good Morning Britain’s weather presenter Alex Beresford, Love Islander Kem Cetinay, former ‘Great British Bake Off’ champ Candice Brown, singer Lemar, rugby player Max Evans, former ‘X Factor’ contestant Jake Quickenden, Olympian Perri Shakes-Drayton, presenter Donna Air and Bucks Fizz member Cheryl Baker.

There has already been injury - Lemar has replaced cricketer Monty Panesar who literally crashed out with a broken ankle...ouch!

So come and join us...there will be dancing , there will be ice and there will be thread mascots

I've seen Stephanie practicing at my local rink - she seemed ok, but a little tentative before Christmas.

Introducing our thread mascots who were conceived on the Strictly thread

Ooh insider knowledge already!

For the uninitiated here's the classic moment everyone who used to watch the show remembers!

Love this show, so happy it's back!

I am a massive fan can’t wait!

We are all here, and practising our sliding about with enthusiasm.
Here is CP, Fluffy Hamster and Octo, joining Little Fuzzy Kiwi on the Mascot Bench.

Yay! Thanks for the rest of the pics Fuzzy

I love Dancing On Ice and am so pleased its back
I adore the mascots - how do they work, do we adopt one each or find our own? Sorry I am not a strictly fan so didn't ever read that thread lol

So the mascots lived at mine and Schaden's over the Christmas hols but usually reside with Fuzzy. If you go look at the last Strictly thread and just read the last few pages you'll get the drift. Basically because we are nuts they keep us entertained by doing random things and Octo predicts the results. It def adds to the merriment of the thread but it can be ignored (peat looking at you) if you like

Of course, anyone else who wants a go with the mascots is welcome they can be err...challenging at times but I am looking forward to having them back soon. And I think CutePuffin and Octo may be missing the seaside a little bit. (Fluffy Hamster cares not one jot!)

And they are all waving at you gotta, in a welcoming way!

I like the sound of the panel - I just hope that po-faced (wife of Christopher Dean) Karen Barber isn't still involved, she used to irritate the life out of me. Could also do without Holly.

I've got tickets for me and dd for the tour afterwards, so hope she gets into it! Was trying to remember who won the last series but have no recollection. Can only remember Ray Quinn winning!

Karen Barber is married to Christopher Dean? I didn't know that - every day's a schoolday!

(Jayne Torville went to the school opposite mine in the 70's)

so excited the show is back! Loved it!

Karen and Chris aren't married.

Octo is looking particularly fetching. Tell her I really enjoyed that litre of Squid Ink Gin she left as a gift for me, hidden behind the third book from the left on my bookshelf ( "StringTheory For Cats" by Muffin Broadbent, Illustrated by the Author ).

I thoroughly enjoyed it with the kipper and macaroni biscotti she made me before she left. Yummy.

I gained five pounds and lost three days . . . ..

Ahh...the beauty of the gin diet Schaden...forever losing days

Karen and Chris aren't married.
As you were...!

Octo Gin. I bet there's a market for that.

I’m so glad this is back! Shame Robin Cousins isn’t involved this time though. I think Karen and Chris are a couple so I would be surprised if she’s not involved somewhere. I like her though so wouldn’t mind that. I’m glad Jason is back! Like Craig on Strictly he can sometimes be mean but equally is often right. I think I saw somewhere that Daniel Whiston and Matt Evers are back in the professional lineup too.

I've always enjoyed Dancing on Ice which apart from the dreadful 'The Jump' has to be the toughest 'entertainment' show on TV - dancing and looking elegant whilst trying not to slip over on has got to be just a little bit tougher than SCD. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love SCD too and enjoyed reading all your comments on the thread but I have always loved Ice Skating. Many moons ago I was thrilled to visit the Olympic rink at Lake Placid just to see where Robin Cousins won his gold medal (It doesn't take much) - I remember as a teenager getting up in the middle of the night to watch him skate and win that medal - disclaimer here - I can't claim any major ice skating skill apart from being able to negotiate a few circuits and remain upright Pity he's not involved in this series but I love Chris and Jayne too.

I read that the Ice professionals will choreograph their own routines this time instead of T&D and I'm assuming that as it's only one two hour show the results/skate off will all happen in the same programme?

How do you all know so MUCH? I'm just about getting my head round "it's tomorrow on the telly"!
So apart from J & C who are the judges? Is that Jason Gardiner back? (I liked him...I laughed when he said Sharron whatserface looked like a big turd. (No reflection on her) No one should wear brown on these shows)

Fuzzy the judges are Jayne and Chris, Jason Gardiner and Ashley Banjo.

Thanks Chessie.

I shall need you lot to keep me up to speed. I'm not sure I know a double axel from a double cheeseburger.

Cheeseburgers far less dangerous Fuzzy so I'd stick with them! If you look at my opening post have listed everyone who is on the show though haven't gone through the pros...oh and over the years there have been a fair few pro-celeb romances too so it really is like Strictly on skates!