TV

Corrie stars reveal how they’re sticking together on Dancing on Ice

No rivalry between Antony Cotton and Brooke Vincent

Grab onto your skates and dust off your sequins, because Dancing on Ice is so close now we can almost taste the glitter.

The glitziest competition on telly will glide back onto screens on Sunday, pitting celebrities and their professional partners against each other.

Most of the stars are heading in with their eyes fixed firmly on the prize – Jake Quickenden has been mentioned by many as one to look out for – but two of them are adamant they want nothing but the best for each other.

Those two are Coronation Street legends Antony Cotton and Brooke Vincent, who are both taking to the ice this year.

Antony (Sean Tully) said: “I would never be competitive against Brooke as she’s like a little sister to me and I adore her. Everyone else I will be competitive with, but not Brooke.

“I’ll be the opposite with Brooke. I am my father’s son, my dad is the most competitive man. We’ll see what happens, but I am fiercely competitive.”

For Brooke’s part, she says she’s not very competitive by nature.

The Sophie Webster actress said: “I’m not competitive unless I know somebody wants to beat me, then I’m competitive.

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“With my boyfriend, he wins most things that we compete at, bowling, golf, things like that, I’m rubbish and it doesn’t bother me… until I know that he really wants to beat me andI really up my game.”

Brooke did mention, however, that she had embarked on a new fitness regime to cover her time on the ice.

She said: “I’ve stopped smoking for the show so I’m not out of the breath when they are telling me I’m getting scores of nine and ten!

“I’ve come on a journey with my fitness, not really drank, have been eating well, training and it’s been a lifestyle change for me.”

The rebooted Dancing on Ice now features Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean as judges rather than mentors.

They’re joined by Jason Gardiner and newcomer Ashley Banjo.

Phillip Schofield will be hosting the show again with “work wife” Holly Willoughby, who hasn’t presented it since 2011.

Ever-loyal Phil said of his co-host: “Dancing on Ice is what started it all off. It was the first time we worked together.”

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“We had such fun on DOI that when the position became vacant on This Morning, I said: ‘Holly is the only person that I want. If I can’t have her I am not playing.'”

A great decision by Phil! We can’t wait to have him and Holly on our screens this Sunday when the new series of DOI starts.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor