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

Mark Hanretty has shared on fb that Donna Air has had her skates stolen from her car. Expect this will be mentioned on next show.

This is a big deal if they are not returned. Skate shops hold the popular sizes in the beginner skates but normally skates have to be ordered in. And certain brands have to be heat moulded to the shape of the skaters feet. Even then it can still take a couple of weeks to get used to new skates. Blisters

I saw that and my heart sank - I shudder at the memory of breaking in my current skates. It took months! I’d be devastated if they were taken now.

Hopefully she can get sorted before Sunday. Sadly I doubt they’ll be returned.

This is a shocker, wheeling out beyond Z list slebs (the winner of Love Island..pleeeease) to learn to skate, yawn. Cheryl Baker is only A lister on there.

And the personalities of HW, PS, JT and CD added together do not make enough for one interesting person.

Just seen on twitter that the commentator has 'quit' due to his 'busy schedule'.

Thank goodness as he was awful!

His ‘busy schedule’
That he only just realised was jam packed after he started!
Poor man, he was fighting a losing battle, the whole show really needs redoing. Torville and Dean are not judges, they should be doing what they were doing before.

Feel a bit sorry for him now. I'm sure he is brilliant for other events but his style doesn't really gel with skating I don't think.

But Torville and Dean have always done it haven't they? They are teachers too, so who better?

ppeat

In the previous series when ITV insured them and they were paid six-figure salaries Torville and Dean were responsible for choreography. They would do an opening number each week, performing themselves and they would oversee coaching and advise/help the pros with choreo, props etc It was fairly hands on iirc. They had input in the show itself in terms of praising the slebs but they were not on the judging panel per se (line up of judges changed a few times but used to be Robin Cousins/Karen Barber)
T and D decided to quit the show when there was the anniversary of Bolero coming up and they wanted to tour. Iirc Phillip Schof was a bit peeved as he wanted one more series.
There has been mention from T and D that they have hung up their skates as ITV no longer insure them but I suspect there is more to it than that in terms of them wanting to have an easier role as the commitment used to take its toll. I thought one of the pros had taken over choreo now but then had to fill in as a pro when two kept arguing and got sacked.
Jason made a big deal of this year's panel being really experienced but to be honest, they all feel a bit beige to me and now that there is no big T and D opening number, it all feels a bit of a damp squib with very very basic skating (I looked back at Chico and some of it, Ray Quinn aside, was always basic but earlier series seemed to have more pizazz/chemistry) whereas this new revival seems a bit of a cheap job lower budget hot mes of a trainwreck.

Thanks Hanging I thought all the men looked very plastic, bewigged etc. (T&D) the least . Why is everyone frightened of looking their age ?

I don't know - botox has a lot to answer for. I guess skating is like dancing, there's a shelf life. Dan, Matt, Mark, Sylvain and Brioche got asked back but Frankie et al got the boot. I guess there's still pressure to keep up with the whippersnappers at your heels. That's why I quite like Tony Beak going for the distinguished grey bits bless him whereas poor Brenda has to do a bit of botox as well as working out to keep the love handles at bay as he has Gorka to contend with.

Shame there isn't Frankie this series, she was great. Lovely skater obviously but her personality really came across too.

Karen and Robin also are definite losses from the panel. The spats between Jason and Karen could get a little tiresome but it's better than the flatness they have now. Robin was an authority, Chris is probably most similar but I still preferred Robin.

Sassy suggested I watch DOI (from the Strictly thread!) I've only vaguely watched it before. I don't reckon I'll bother again (sorry Sass!)

The pros have to do their own choreography this year. Apparently all the pros had to audition and part of that included choreo. I’m guessing people like Frankie, while really good at skating and teaching, couldn’t do the choreo and that’s why they’re not back.

Me too ppeat.

I trust sassy with my viewing pleasure, and this is what happens!

(To be fair on her, it sounds as though this year has been unusually shite.)

sorry! I actually can't believe how bad the opener was to be honest. Was so looking forward to it too. Will try again this weekend...but def nowhere near as fun as it used to be when it was all fields round here !!!

Aaaah c'mon now Sass it's not THAT bad (not worth a three blush emojji) !!!!! We still love you It's not your fault, I loved the little skating hamster in his green skates!!!!!!

Can you tell it's my birthday and I've had a glass of prosecco!!!!!

Happy birthday peat. Hope you have had a fabulous day 🥂🎁🎉🎂

Thank you soooo much, yes, it's been lovely and lazy it's dh cooking a treat supper 'in' tonight and we're going out tomorrow (for another treat meal !!! )

Sounds fab. Glad you're being treated. Enjoy lovely!

to you!

The commentator has resigned!!!

Has he ? How do you know ?