Dancing On Ice | Interview with Jayne Torvill (Ice Panel)

How does it feel to be returning to the Ice Panel?

It feels great. I’m ready to get started. It’s always exciting because you’ve got a new group of celebrities and you don’t know what to expect. You’re expecting to be surprised and amazed and all of that.

What do you love best about being part of the show?

Chris and I still love doing our performances as well as being on the panel. This show feels a bit like our baby. When it started first of all we came up with the format and discussed how it would work so to still be a part of it is very special to us.

What do you think of this year’s line up?

I think they look really strong. From when we did our meet and greet back in October, for me, there were more people skating than stumbling this time so I was impressed even back then. Seeing them for the first time, it’s the most impressed I’ve ever been at that stage.

It sounds like expectation levels are already high so what are they going to have to do to impress you?

Well the first performances will set the bar for themselves personally and then I’ll be looking each week to see an improvement. Even if they start at a really high standard I don’t expect them to stay there. I expect them to push themselves and get better.

Quite a lot of the cast have a dance background this year, do you think that could be helpful to them?

It can be. As long as they’ve worked on their basic skating first they can allow that dance training to come into play and help with the performance. However, if they’re not steady on their feet with their basic skating sometimes it won’t help at all.

Is there anyone at this early stage that strikes you as a real stand out contender?

I think there’s probably about five or six so that’s what makes it exciting this year. You’ve got Brendan Cole with his ballroom background, you’ve got Kimberly Wyatt with her choreographic dance background and because we’ve seen her in training a few times I’ve really noticed that she’s incredibly supple. She’s got really elegant lines and her skating is coming along really well too.

What are you looking for in a performance?

What will be the thing that really gives you goosebumps? What always is impressive is that if you’re watching a performance and you’re really enjoying a performance, but you know they’ve got a certain move coming up. You kind of hold your breath for a sec until they get through that move. The great performances are the ones that before you know it it’s over and you haven’t even thought about the details because you’ve been so lost in enjoying it.

There are moments when everyone is with you on the holding of their breath – like when there’s a headbanger or when Perri Kiely did a backflip. How thrilling is it when the contestants push boundaries like this?

Oh really thrilling. We’re hoping somebody will do something like that this year. Not the backflip but something that’s never been done or seen from a celebrity before.

So come up with your own unique move if they want to impress you is the word then…

We had someone in the early days – Chris Fountain – who tried to do an axel which is one and a half rotations in the air and on the actual performance he didn’t quite make it. He landed it on two feet. I’d love to see someone do an axel or another double jump that they land cleanly.

There’s the challenge for the year! You and Chris still seem to really challenge yourselves even at this stage in your career and you always bring something different. We hear there’s to be a performance shot entirely on a drone this year. What will that be like for the viewers at home and what challenges does that bring as you choreograph that routine?

It will give a very different look again and that’s what we’re trying to do. It’s through the eyes of the drone. Because it goes all around you and over you it gives a different view of certain moves which we find fascinating. It also will really give viewers a sense of the speed of the ice too. The aim is going to be to give the audience a sense of them feeling what we’re feeling.

We’ve got a new panellist joining. What do you think Oti will bring to the ice panel?

I think she’ll have a lot to give with her experience, the fact that she was part of a similar show in knowing that celebrities have to work hard and their pros have to get them to a certain standard and they’ll get judged. For her, she’s been the pro and she’s now changing roles. When I’ve seen her give criticism before, she always seems very fair and honest and it’s very constructive. I think because of her background she’ll also get a lot of respect.

Would you give her any advice as she joins you at the desk?

I think what she will want to know more about is the actual skating and the technique and probably the terminology of the different moves. I think that’s something she’ll pick up quite quickly.

How about non-skating-related tips?! I’m thinking – it’s cold in there, pop a flask under the desk!

Oh yes! All of that and bring a blanket. The situation is it’s generally colder than it would be in a ballroom I think – so wrap up warm! Oh and for snacks – well, me and Ashley are fond of jelly babies so we always have some of them on the go.

Phil and Holly are always getting the giggles, have there ever been any funny moments for you guys where you just couldn’t stop giggling?

I remember last series when we had the big dinosaur and it suddenly appeared behind Holly and totally scared her. That was funny. I think she was genuinely quite scared but we just couldn’t stop laughing.

With January being a bit of a drab month Dancing on Ice tends to lift our spirits, bring us some much needed glitz and glamour and a party atmosphere. Does it feel like a lot of fun in the studio too?

Yeah, absolutely. I think last year because we didn’t have an audience there wasn’t quite the same atmosphere we usually get. But amongst the cast and crew it’s a great feeling, it’s a great family atmosphere because we all want to do the best for the show.