TV

Dancing On Ice: Joe Swash announced as ninth contestant

He revealed the news on today's Loose Women

| Updated:

Joe Swash has announced he’s the ninth Dancing On Ice contestant for next year’s series.

The former I’m A Celebrity: Extra Camp presenter will be joining the likes of Love Island‘s Maura Higgins, Michael Barrymore, former footballer Kevin Kilbane, ITV News presenter Lucrezia Millarini, Steps singer Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Coronation Street actress Lisa George, Diversity’s Perri Kiely and paraolympian Libby Clegg.

The news was revealed on Friday’s Loose Women as Joe came skating into the studio while holding onto a polar bear aid.

Read more: Dancing On Ice: Perri Kiely and Libby Clegg confirmed as contestants

Joe admitted he “can’t even dance on a dance floor”.

He said: “I can’t even dance on a dance floor so Dancing On Ice is just a silly idea.”

When told he will have to pick up his female professional dancing partner and spin her around, Joe said: “It’s been a while since I picked a woman up.

“I’ve done no exercise since the baby was born. Stacey [Solomon] thinks it’s funny. I’m going to learn how to skate and I’ll do it with a smile on my face.”

It comes after Libby and Perri were confirmed as the latest celebrity contestants.

On Thursday, it was confirmed that Diversity dancer Perri is part of the line-up and he’ll have to impress his troupe leader Ashley Banjo, who is a judge on the skating show.

Meanwhile, earlier today it was confirmed that paralympian Libby, who has a deteriorating eye condition known as Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy disease giving her only slight peripheral vision in her left eye, would be getting her skates on.

She said on Victoria Derbyshire’s BBC show this morning: “After Rio [Olympics] I achieved my ultimate goal and then I thought ‘what else can I do?’ This opportunity came about and I couldn’t pass it up.

“I love challenging myself and experiencing new things.”

On Thursday, it was announced that Lisa – who plays Beth Tinker in Corrie – had joined the line-up.

She said on Lorraine: “I did ice skate when I was a child for a couple of years until I was about nine.

Read more: Dancing On Ice: Ian ‘H’ Watkins confirmed as fifth contestant

“I was in a competition and I fell, I stuck my blades in the ice. The ice shot up like a shard and cut my chin open, and that was the end of my skating career. I’m 49 this year so I haven’t been on the ice for around 40 years.”

The new series is expected to return in January with hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.

Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.


Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)

Related Topics