Final dancing On Ice tour comes to Sheffield

The four week tour will star skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who will once again be taking to the ice to perform some exclusive routines created especially for the live shows.

As well as Jayne and Chris, the Ice Panel will be in attendance, headed by Olympic gold medallist Robin Cousins alongside former professionals Karen Barber and Nicky Slater, who will be on hand to give their expert opinions and scores.

But their scores won’t be the be all and end all, as the audience will be able to vote for their favourite skaters using their mobile phones and the votes will be added to the panels' scores to give an overall result.

For the final tour, Jayne and Chris have gathered together some of the best celebrity skaters from the whole history of the show, from Kyran Bracken (who won the second series in 2007) to the most recent champion Ray Quinn, who won the 2014 Final.

Other former champions on the tour will be 2010 winner Hayley Tamaddon and 2013 champ Beth Tweddle.

The celebrity line-up is completed by Gareth Gates, Bonnie Langford, Suzanne Shaw and comedian Joe Pasquale, who made it to round six in 2013 and also took part in the final series.

Joe entertained audiences with his enthusiastic, if not technically competent, routines, and he is delighted to have been asked to take part in the final tour.

Relaxing in his dressing room at the Playhouse Theatre in London, just before taking to the stage to appear as King Arthur in Spamalot, he explains why he initially went on the show.

“It was a challenge, something new to try,” he says. And he had never skated on ice before. “Oh, bloody ‘ell no, I wasn’t even allowed a cornet when I was a kid,” he laughs.

And he admits to finding the training difficult. “Yeah, it was difficult, I must have fallen over 29 times in the first half an hour, but it’s all part of the journey.”

But despite the falls, Joe says that it was an enjoyable experience. “It would have been pointless if it hadn’t been, and I was proud of myself that I did better than I thought I would.”

Joe’s partner on the tour is Canadian skater Robin Johnstone, who was also his partner on TV.

“She’s a really great skater and I wouldn't have been able to do what I did without her.”

Coincidentally, while he is being King Arthur in Spamalot, one of his co-stars is Bonnie Langford, who is the Lady in the Lake.

“As she's on the tour as well, we've been swapping tips in the dressing rooms and having a good laugh about it.

“If they were all good skaters then you’d just be saying; ‘he’s good, she’s good, oh and he’s good as well.’

“With me being there, it’ll be; ‘he’s good, she’s good, oh he’s kak.’ So it won’t be one great skater after another.”

When asked if he'll continue to skate after the tour is finished, he is rather non-committal. “Possibly, it all depends on work,” he says.

One thing that is not in doubt is Joe’s enthusiasm at appearing on the show.

“I'm really looking forward to getting on the ice again with Jayne, Chris and the other celebs. Roll on March!”

Dancing On Ice — The Final Tour, comes to the Sheffield Motorpoint Arena from April 15 to 17.

There will be a show each night on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available from the box office on 0114 256 5656 and all the usual agencies.