Dancing On Ice 2012

[Perdita]

Andy Akinwolere has become the first celebrity to leave this year's series of Dancing on Ice.

The ex-Blue Peter host was eliminated by the panel after falling into the skate-off with Sugababes star Heidi Range when judges' scores and public votes were combined.

Andy Whyment, Charlene Tilton, Jorgie Porter, Chemmy Alcott and Mark Rhodes were earlier granted spots in the the next stage of the competition.

In the vote, Louie Spence backed the "more refined and polished" performance given by Range, but Katarina Witt saved Akinwolere after being impressed with how he managed his challenging routine.

Addressing Range, she said: "Your second performance was more steady and better, but Andy as a celebrity and a non-skater it's more difficult to cover a fast number, to keep the rhythm... I still feel you are the better skater."

The deciding vote went down to Robin Cousins, who plumped for Range's "cleaner" display over the "great energy" evident in Akinwolere.

Voting to save Range, he quipped: "I like a little sugar with my babe."

Speaking to hosts Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley after the result, Akinwolere admitted: "[I'm] gutted actually, really gutted. We put so much into that, but it's cool."

His partner Maria Filippov added: "It was sweet and short, but I loved every minute of it. I'm really gutted that we couldn't show more."

The remaining eight celebrities will skate for the first time when Dancing on Ice returns next Sunday (January 15) at 6.30pm on ITV1.

[megan999]

Mark should have gone. I enjoyed Andy A's performance.

[Ruffed_lemur]

Mark should have gone. I enjoyed Andy A's performance.

I agree. Mark seemed the weakest to me, but he must have got a lot of votes!

[megan999]

I agree. Mark seemed the weakest to me, but he must have got a lot of votes!

It's popularity vs ability all over again

[alan45]

Laila Morse has become the second celebrity to leave Dancing on Ice.

The EastEnders star was eliminated from the contest following a skate-off with Corey Feldman.


Rosemary Conley, Matthew Wolfenden, Jennifer Ellison, Chico, Sébastien Foucan and Sam Nixon earlier made it through based on viewer votes and judges' scores.

In the judges' vote, Louie Spence chose to save Feldman for having given "the strongest overall performance in the skate-off", while Katarina Witt also chose to send home the injury-stricken actress "for the sake of [her] health".

Head panellist Robin Cousins confirmed that he too would have eliminated Morse, telling the 66-year-old: "I admire your courage for having a go, but I'm quite excited to see what we might see from you, Corey."

Morse earlier admitted to hosts Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley that she was not disappointed to land in the skate-off, echoing her previous comment to Digital Spy that she was hoping for an early exit.

Dancing on Ice continues next Sunday (January 22) at 6.10pm on ITV1, with all 13 remaining contestants skating together for the first time.

[megan999]

I think that the right 2 celebrities were in the Skate off, but I wanted Laila to get further in the competition because I'm an EE fan Is it true that Gary Oldman is her brother?

[moonstorm]

Yes Megan, he is her little brother.

[Chloe O'brien]

I think that the right 2 celebrities were in the Skate off, but I wanted Laila to get further in the competition because I'm an EE fan Is it true that Gary Oldman is her brother?

I think if Laila hadn't injured herself she may have began to enjoy herself. I think a lot of people wanted her to stay in the competition just to see if Gary would come and watch her, but she didn't get the votes.

[alan45]

If you’re married to a soap star, seeing your other half cuddling up to someone else on TV goes with the territory.

But Coronation Street star Andy Whyment reckons his sexy moves on Dancing On Ice with partner Vicky Ogden are causing no end of trouble at home with wife Nicola.

“She doesn’t think it’s great but it is part of the show,” he says nervously. “If I were in her shoes I don’t think I would like it either. It is hard, too, because I’m training every day so you are out for hours and then I am in London all weekend...”

Andy, who plays dopey Kirk Sutherland in the ITV soap, reveals he feels weird himself grappling with Vicky on screen.

He adds: “I’m just not used to it. Honestly, in 11 years of Corrie I have only had to do three screen kisses. Kirk is not one of those characters that has had a lot of girlfriends.

"This is the most time I have spent on screen close to a girl. I just try to enjoy the entertainment side of it.”

He may be uncomfortable with Vicky but Andy has noticed one benefit from his hours on the ice. Relaxing, he says: “My wife tells me I have lost weight and I think that is basically because my body is building up muscle-wise.

“Before this I didn’t really have a gut but I had started putting weight on. I turned 30 in September and I used to be a 28in waist and I went up to a 32 as I like my junk food, and me and the gym just don’t go.

"Now I am losing it again because I am on Dancing On Ice. I am not saying I have a six-pack but I am getting stronger. I love fast food and I am trying to cut down but you can get away with it a bit while you are doing this.”

Andy was seen as one of the joke acts when he appeared on the show in the first week but surprised a few people by staying on two feet and scoring 12 points from the judges.

Olympic champ Katarina Witt even said he was the “surprise of the night” and spoke of his potential to flourish despite being barely able to stand when he first signed up.

This weekend the actor hopes to win votes with a new hairstyle and song all viewers will be familiar with for the movie week theme.

“I am doing the Grease tune and as you can see I haven’t got a lot of hair myself so I think they will try to get me a wig for a John Travolta look. So I’ll wear that and be running my fingers through my hair,” he explains.

“My first dance was fun and entertaining so I have got to try to look a bit cool this time. I don’t think I am the coolest person in the world but we are getting there with the routine.

“I did have a couple of tumbles in training this week, which are the first falls I have had in a while. But it is nothing too serious. I was doing a step as part of the routine and I don’t know what went wrong but the next thing I knew I was on my backside.

“It is because I am trying to push myself a little bit more. I think it is because I saw how good the other lads were. I am not trying to become amazing because that won’t happen but I do want to push it a bit more.”

Andy Whyment and Vicky Ogden

While Andy, who was born in Leigh, Gtr Manchester, has definitely entered into the spirit of the show there are a couple of areas he has misgivings about: the flamboyant clothing and the spray tans.

As a football-loving northern lad, he will not welcome mickey-taking on the Corrie cobbles, especially from life-long pal Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs.

Andy reveals: “I spoke to Alan about Dancing On Ice beforehand when I was first offered it. We have been mates for 21 years and he said ‘I don’t think I could do it but fair play’.

“A few of them at Corrie were saying it was going to be Bambi On Ice but I think that Alan was quite impressed by my ability. I couldn’t stand up at first but I am definitely improving.

“Alan has said he loves me to bits but when he comes to the show to see me he wants me to fall over. And, to be honest, when you watch the show on TV you do want to see tumbles. That is what a lot of people watch it for, I think.”

Andy also insists there is no chance of him suddenly skating out with an orange tan: “I have had a £10 bet with Hayley Tamaddon (ex-Emmerdale actress), a £5 bet with Vicky my skating partner and a £5 bet with Alan that I won’t have a spray tan.

“Jayne Torvill offered me a tenner to have a tan last week but I am standing my ground on this. I won’t have one. Plus, I would be £10 down if I did!”

ALTHOUGH Andy wore sequins for his first routine he doesn’t fancy anything too garish.

“I don’t mind the sequins, it is just some of the colours. I don’t want to wear pink or anything luminous,” he says. “Luckily, for the Grease number it is jeans and a leather jacket, so I am quite happy with that.”

Andy is no stranger to celebrity talent contests, having come runner-up in Soapstar Superstar in 2006. But he says that lasted just eight days and, weeks later, people were back shouting “Kirk!” at him in the Manchester streets instead of Andy.

Dancing On Ice could change that if he goes far but he does not sound too bothered either way.

“I am not in the show to win it, I just take each week as it comes,” he insists. “It is not a competition for me, it is an experience. Yes, I want to up my game but I am doing it for me. I’ll just be happy if I beat my previous score.”

So who does he think will win? “Matthew was really good last week but I thought Chico did well considering he was a reserve. There are some really good skaters.

"Christopher Dean said it was the strongest group and I watch the show every year and normally there are four or five skaters who aren’t great and I think this year there are only a couple.

"For me, it’s all about fun. I am doing this to make my family proud and everyone has just told me to enjoy it.

“Steven Arnold, who played Ashley on Corrie and was on last year’s Dancing, says I am much better than he was, but it is just about having fun.”

For Andy, starring in Corrie, seeing his beloved Manchester United and watching his son Thomas, three, and one-year-old daughter Hollie grow up is his life... and that’s how he likes it.

“When Dancing finishes I won’t carry on skating much,” he says. “It would be nice if the kids wanted to go, I could show them a few tricks, but I am not an amazing skater, even though I have come on leaps and bounds.

"At Christmas I did do some movements at home though, and my little boy was joining in with the arm movements which was quite cute. But when I’m at home I really do try to switch off to be honest.”

Andy, who also played Darren in hit comedy The Royle Family, says that Corrie is his top priority and he’s delighted that he can fit Dancing on Ice around his Weatherfield commitments.

“I have been acting since I was eight. But with Corrie I will stay there as long as they will have me. I am into my 11th year and it is a great show,” he says. “I would love it to be a job for life.

“I have got so many close friends there, it is 25 minutes from where I live so I am home every night. It is a fantastic job. I have always loved playing Kirk.”

Let’s just hope for Andy his character Kirk doesn’t get a sex-mad girlfriend any time soon in the scripts or he’ll be getting more icy glares from his missus



Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/tv/20...#ixzz1k4JxFVCc

[Perdita]

Mark Rhodes has become the third celebrity to leave Dancing on Ice.

The children's TV host was eliminated over Charlene Tilton after judges' scores and viewer votes for their 'Movie Week' performances were combined.

After a last chance skate-off, in which Rhodes reprised his Blues Brothers-themed performance, judges Robin Cousins, Louie Spence and Katarina Witt unanimously voted to send him home.

Cousins said to the former Pop Idol contestant before casting his vote: "It's been fun having you around", while Spence complimented Rhodes on his "spirit and fun attitude".

Speaking to hosts Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley following his exit, Rhodes said: "Obviously I'm absolutely gutted, but to be at the bottom in the first week and to be next to the bottom in the second week, it makes sense for me to be in the skate-off.

"Charlene... she skated her second [performance] absolutely brilliantly and I messed up. [I'm] absolutely fine with it."

Turning to his professional partner Frankie Poultney, the 30-year-old jested: "You've been working with limited resources. You are absolutely brilliant."

Rhodes's presenting partner Sam Nixon remains in the running.

Schofield also teased at the end of the show that the remaining 12 contestants will soon face "one of the biggest challenges ever seen".

Dancing on Ice continues next Sunday (January 29) at 6.45pm on ITV1.