It seems that Dancing on Ice bookers love the soaps as much as the British public. To date fifteen Corrie stars have swapped the cobbles for the ice, ten Eastenders the square for the rink, an impressive nine Hollyoaks for headbangers, five Emmerdale residents wellies for skates, three have made the journey from down under and a further three from those long gone (Dallas and Brookside). Four actors (Jeremy Sheffield, Gemma Bissix, Ray Quinn and Hayley Tammadon) have even appeared in multiple soaps.
So how have the the forty-one soap-landers to have taken on the challenge to date faired? They’ve produced a whopping six of the last ten winners (including a double win for Ray Quinn). Even more impressively, of all the regular series, Mark Little (Neighbours) remains the only soap star to have been booted off first. No doubt in part due to the mammoth viewing figures such shows continue to attract despite fierce competition.
It is from the soaps that unarguably two of DOI’s best remembered contestants emerged, albeit with very different capabilities. Few who witnessed Todd Carty disappear down the Time Tunnel will forget, while Ray Quinn, to quote Holly Willoughby on his appearance on last year’s Christmas Special, “he just keeps on getting better”.
In the battle of the soaps it would seem as if Coronation Street would have the advantage with so many taking part, but it is Emmerdale that’s really bagged more than it’s expected share of the glory. Of the five of its actors that have taken part, not only have 3 of them gone on to the final, those that did all won (Suzanne Shaw, Hayley Tammadon, Matthew Wolfenden).
Whilst my ambition of appearing on the show may seem far-fetched, maybe if I’m a serious about doing the Bolero I ought to be jacking in the comedy and heading down The Woolpack!
White Skates 