Rather a poor list of celebrities this year. But it's all about the pros for me!!! Do we know which pros are returning? I know Daniel is but i'm not sure about anyone else. I loved him, I'm glad!!! And he kinda had to as reigning champion. I loved Marika and Pam too, any news on them?

No Marika isn't, but Pam is. Plus a couple of Pros from the Aussie DOI.

I have also heard that Kristina and Natalia (think that's her name - the woman who skated with David when Pam was hurt) are doing it, but I don't know for sure.

Think Matt is doing it too

Marika rocked!!! Anyone know what she's doing now?

How about Olga?

i think it is a good list of celebs. I actually know 5 of them. There are a few pros from DOI Oz. There is Pam, Jonathon, Natalia, Kristina, Matt and Dan have all been said to be doing it again. Marika and Olga are definitely not doing it.

Olga is doing Swan Lake on Ice so can't do it. There is something in the ISU which doesn't allow any of their judgesto do these shows and that is why Marika can't do it.

Aww, that's rubbish! She was my favourite last year.



http://www.icedance.co.uk/
Last edited by Cat123 : 01-01-2007 at 20:24

And mine, but she is busy with other things. She's studying for a Sports Science degree at University, and also continuing with her coaching and choreography at Deeside, but the main reason she can't do it is because she has carved out a career as a Technical Specialist with the ISU - she recently *called* the elements for Ice Dance at the Grand Prix final in St Petersburg - and the ISU decreed earlier this season that any skater or official participating in any of the myriad TV/Skater/Celeb shows around the world will be banned from ISU events [that's *amateur* or eligible as it's known, as they are paid to some extent]. Pure jealousy if you ask me! Marika's husband Vitaliy took part in the Dutch/Belgian DOI earlier this year, and Romain Gazave from Blackpool's Hot Ice Show is currently doing the Turkish DOI in Istanbul.
Marika talks about being a Tech Spec here:

http://www.icedance.co.uk/Technical.htm


Olga was skating in Sleeping Beauty on Ice last year, but got leave of absence from Imperial Ice Stars to participate in the first DOI series, but she'll be skating with John Barrowman in Cardiff, or may've done so already over Christmas, where both were based for shows, JB in Panto and for Concerts, and Olga in Swan Lake on Ice.

http://www.imperialicestars.com/

Confirmed Pros are Matt, Kristina, Pam, [I heard Jon O wasn't for height reasons, Pam's fiance, who took part in Oz DOI, but bendymixer says he is], Maria and Pavel from Oz DOI are confirmed too, ofcourse Dan Whiston, and as Sarah Greene pulled out that'll be one Pro who has lost his opportunity, not sure who it was though.

That sucks. Are ITV not replacing her?

Thanks for the info. I'm so glad Pam and Daniel are back!

Well, 11 celebs have been announced, so they'll have to invite a few more Pros to make up the numbers [other than the ones I know are confirmed above]. I suppose they'll have to match them well with the celebs, as that was the problem with Jon in Oz, his partner, a swimmer, was taller than him!

Marika is 1.73m aswell, that's 5ft 9, so is tall for a dancer, and was the same height as Sean, hence the problem with the lifts. Pam is more my height, 5ft 2, so is more flexible to partner with a celeb. But also Sean was based up in the North West where Marika lives, so it was convenient for them to train, another reason they probably were paired.

Dan is skating with Emily Symmonds from Emmerdale and Kristina is paired with Stephen Gatley.

I'd have liked to have seen Kristina with Duncan but I think her and Stephen will do really well. They are both popular which is a good start and if he is a decent skater I think they'll win it

Also, Pam is said to be with Neil Fox.

Thanks for the updates. Any further news on who the other pros are?

I love Daniel Whiston and Kristina Cousins. They are my fave Pros

According to the Blue Room, Lisa Scott-Lee is skating with Matt. Kieran the rugby player is skating with an American skater called Melanie Lambert, Ulrika and Duncan are with some pro's from DOI Australia.
Last edited by SparkleBabe : 13-01-2007 at 17:15

Thanks for the update.

I've never heard of Melanie Lambert, and I'm a big follower of Skating - I wish they had more British Pros, and replaced Marika with another British Dancer.

Jon and Pam O were at the British Championships this week.
Jon is working with a young couple, and has dyed his hair blonde!

Pam was there today "looking gorgeous".

For me Kristina and Matt are the best pros. They made the show for me last year. Apparently Kristina is now divorced from Steven Cousins and is going by the name Kristina Lenko (her maiden name)

I've never heard of Melanie Lambert either, La Rhumba. I'm really glad that Kristina is back (was wondering if she'd have changed back to Lenko now...) and looking forward to seeing Pam again. Matt and Lisa Scott-Lee sound quite well matched and so do Steven Gately and Kristina. Of course it totally depends on how well the celebs can skate. You never can tell until you see them on the ice.

Kristina's official site is Kristinalenko.com. Though it will be interesting to see how she is introduced on DOI because we all know her as Cousins.

Hi AnnieD! Nice to bump into you on here.

I guess at least with Stephen Gately as Kristina's partner, we won't get the tabloid stories, or VT editing with "do they fancy eachother, and is there a budding romance?"

It was only really when Kristina came over last year that she officially called herself Cousins, she's still known in Canada as Lenko, even after she maried Steven. Neither seems to be dwelling on the seperation anyway.

I wonder why they didn't ask the likes of Charlotte Clements to step in for Marika? I don't want to go on about it, but I do feel sad that more homegrown Pros weren't asked this time, as it's a big opportunity, and whilst Matt & Kristina, and the lovely Todd last year, are absolute gems, the American woman pro who skated with Andi Peters I'd never heard of, and she wasn't an astounding skater, and neither is Maria Filipov or Pavel Aubrecht from Oz. I think Pavel will partner very well, and is taller and stronger than Jon O [who I'm still not convinced is taking part, inspite of what bendymixer posted - that webchat on her site was months ago, and my info is that he hasn't made it - we'll see next week.] But Maria was no great shakes on the Aussie show, we have more talent here, people who have competed at a high level internationally, and I'm sad they haven't been asked, however I don't want to be a killjoy before the show has already started, so now I've got that off me chest, I'll say no more about it, and shall support all the Pros, as with Marika not taking part this time, I shall have no special fave.

BTW, off topic, AnnieD, you know there's another AnnieD on here, and I wondered if that was you, and decided it wasn't, but now I know that *you* are the real AnnieD lol.

maybe they use so many non british skaters cos they are after experienced pair skaters?? Maria cant be that bad she won DOI Oz!!!! yes meant to post here that Jonathan advised us a couple of weeks ago that he isnt in final line up - maybe something to do with there only being 5 females instead of the planned 6 female skaters

The full list of celebs and skaters now posted

Where??? Where????

Can't wait to see who's paired with who???

Heard its
Daniel/ Emily
Matt/ Lisa
Kristina/ Stephen
Pavel/ Ulrika
Maria/ Duncan.........

who are the others???