ITV has named the first six celebrities in the lineup for next year's edition of Dancing On Ice.
The show returns for its new series in January and is expected to have enhanced coronavirus safety measures in place after this year's edition was cut short due to multiple contestants dropping out because of COVID-19.
Among those taking to the ice in 2022 will be Coronation Street legend Sally Dynevor, Happy Mondays star Bez, Team GB Paralympian Stef Reid, Love Island's Liberty Poole, ex-England rugby player Ben Foden and dancer Regan Gascoigne.
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Dynevor, who has played Sally on Corrie since 1985, said: "This is a massive challenge... It really, really is. I'm not getting any younger, I've just got to take every opportunity I get so that when I'm old I can say you know what? I gave it a go."
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Bez said: "At the moment it's more like Bambi on Ice, not Dancing On Ice. How I got picked I don't know because I was absolutely awful at the audition but they must have seen some potential in me! I'm looking forward to learning a new skill and I can't wait for the Christmas ice rinks again and I can get on there and really show off."
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Track and field athlete Reid said: "I have some really exciting news. I'm going to be picking up a new sport this winter and it comes with a little bit of showbiz. I'm going to be a contestant on Dancing on Ice and it's a little bit scary but I cannot wait!"
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Gascoigne, son of football legend Paul Gascoigne, said: "Obviously I dance and love dancing but it's the skill of this. I've always wanted to do it. Always! Ever since I was a kid!"
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Poole, who was part of the lineup for this summer's Love Island, said: "I grew up watching Dancing On Ice and my mum actually used to be a figure skater. I ice skate as a hobby sometimes so I can get around the rink but I can't do any tricks, no pirouetting or anything so I'm really looking forward to pushing myself and learning as much as I possibly can. Not just skating around the ice but actually dancing on ice. Bring it on!"
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Foden said: "I used to skate a little when I was a kid. I'd go to ice discos when I was 15, 16 (years old) and you'd always see these kids that could do pirouettes that had a proper dancing background. I like the idea of learning a new sport and a new skill. I'm quite competitive as well so I like the challenge of competing against others doing something that I'm not necessarily good at!"
The identities of the remaining six celebrities in the 2022 lineup will be revealed in the coming days.
Neil Wilkes
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