Dancing On Ice kicked off last weekend in a haze of sequins, St Tropez and injuries. With the appointment of Louie Spence on the judging panel (replacing acid-tongued Jason Gardiner), and Christine Bleakley stepping into Holly Willoughby’s Jimmy Choos, the new-look show has more razzle dazzle than ever before.
And when we turn up to the rink at Elstree Studios to shoot three of this year’s contestants, a full-blown training session is underway. The whole cast are throwing their best shapes under the critical eyes of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
One by one, wrapped in their winter woollies, Jorgie Porter, 24, Heidi Range, 28, and Jennifer Ellison, 28, make their way to our studio, dragging their famous zebra-print skate cases. They’ve obviously worked up an appetite, as Hollyoaks star Jorgie asks to put an order in to the local Nando’s before getting her hair and make-up done.
Heidi, stepping out on her own for the first time since joining the Sugababes, is more subdued than the other two. Accompanied by her big sister Hayley, she appears a little nervous. Still raw from the break up from her fiancé, DJ Dave Berry, she affectionately explains the big Stella McCartney poncho she’s cuddled up in was an old Christmas present from him. With the split being amicable, there is a fondness in her voice, but it’s the only time she’ll mention him during the day.
But after having a good natter to fellow Liverpudlian Jennifer Ellison about Desperate Scousewives (incidentally, the jury’s still out for them when it comes to the show) it raises Heidi’s spirits and we pin them down to talk Dancing On Ice…
How’s the training been going?
I was like Bambi on ice the first time. In the first test, I scored the lowest out of everyone. It was awful. But you improve. I was on tour with the play Calendar Girls until Christmas, so each week was a different ice rink and a different coach. And it’s like Dan has been on tour with us, he’s been coming to all the venues. When we get on the ice I just grab his hands and say, ‘Please don’t drop me! I have a two-year-old son and no life insurance!’ I really want to put my son Bobby on the ice. I see some of the kids training and they’re about four and spinning and stuff. I’m going to keep it up and I want him to do it.
Didn’t you take him on tour with you?
Sometimes I felt really guilty about having a baby on the road, but Ruth Maddoc [of Hi-De-Hi fame] said she brought both of her children up on tour and one of her daughters is a really famous barrister and her other son is high up too, so it’s not like you’re depriving them.
What was it like doing the naked scene in Calendar Girls?
It was nice because I’d put on weight after the baby and it was about normal women. It’s a play about middle-aged women and it was fab because there were six mums. Some of the ladies in it were in their 70s so it was lovely. But Dancing On Ice gave me the kick up the backside I needed to get myself back in shape.
You’ve been making a fitness DVD too – how have you found the time?
I’ve been getting up at half six, doing my fitness training for two hours, then travelling to an ice rink to train for two more hours, then back to the theatre to do the show. So far I’ve lost 4 stone. Before that I consciously took time out because I’d rather spend a day at the zoo with Bobby than work out. I had a lot of weight to lose and if I hadn’t done this, today I’d have been looking at the costumes saying there’s no way I could have worn them. I’d have been mortified.
Are you following a strict diet?
Oh yeah… My nutritionist took into consideration how much I was doing and how quickly I wanted to lose weight and gave me a meal plan of five meals a day so I was never hungry. Sometimes I was having to go on stage and eat between scenes! I’ll have porridge in the morning, fish and chicken for lunch and dinner. My goal is a size 8.
What made you sign up for DOI too?
It’s come at the perfect time. Prior to Calendar Girls I’d been a mum for two years, and hadn’t done anything to push myself. I’ve been offered all the reality shows, but as with Hell’s Kitchen, we had to work our backsides off and this is learning a skill. If I did Big Brother, I’d be hated as I’d be sat there so bored, missing my family. I’d probably end up freaking out and doing my nut.
What are you finding the most challenging?
Well, I’m used to being judged and criticised – but because I’ve been a ballet dancer all my life, where I’ve been taught for 26 years that everything’s on straight legs and pointy feet, I’ve had to strip it all away because if I do that on the ice I’ll fall. I’ve had to retrain my brain. Bent knees and flat feet is the ultimate sin in ballet. I’ve had a few bad falls because of it.