Well you must live in a pretty remote area then if you only know one person who has ever been ice skating.

We don't have a rink in our town either, but we used to have organised trips from school to the nearest one about 20 miles away. Or our parents would take us there as a treat.

What about all the outdoor rinks they have in parks and town centres these days?

Well in all the series of doi so far we've had people with quite a bit more ice skating experience then the other contestants, but all 3 series of the show have been won by novices, someone who had only been on the ice once or twice in their lives.

Bit off topic footygirl... but weren't you an ardent supporter of Tom Chambers in SCD? ... did you think his "Fred Astaire" Youtube video was relevant or irrelevant as experience?

Should Jessica be competiting when her husband is being hunted down by the ECB and paparazzi?

Our organised school trips were to museums or stately homes or anywhere else considered educational. There certainly wasn't a skating rink anywhere near where I lived as a child - a village in Yorkshire, and if there is a skating rink anywhere within a 40 mile radius of where I live now I have never heard of it. My kids have never ice skated either, and both say they don't know of anyone who has.... Maybe you are just lucky?

Its a good job that Jayne Torvill went ice skating on a school trip then isn't it, otherwise everything may have turned out differently!

this is like saying anyone that's had singing lessons shouldn't be allowed to take part in the X Factor.

Kyran had skated before Dancing on Ice. He admitted afterwards that he took up ice skating early in his rugby career to help build up strength in his ankle after injuring it.

Given the media witch hunt against Clare Buckfield in The Mirror to prove she had skating experience prior to Dancing on Ice - when all she did was what throusands do and skated a few times recreationally - then neither Jessica Taylor or Michael Underwood show be skating this year given they have had some prior experience.

chris fountain had a very unfair advantage i thought last year. he was obviously very stable on the ice because of his ice hockey, therefore making it much easier for him to do the complex steps...

I suppose it would be difficult to get a group of people together who all start on a completely level playing field.

I mean, you could say that Ray Quinn has an advantage over some others, as he was a champion youth ballroom/Latin dancer, who has also trained in other styles of dancing as well, so the dance performance side of DOI will come easy to him. Sportsmen (are there any this year) often find that side of doi very difficult.

Let's give em all a chance and see how they go....

Other than one school trip ten years ago I can honestly say I'm not aware of anyone at all that I know who skates. The nearest ice rink is more than an hour away.

I'm in Stoke-on-Trent, which is hardly a remote rural village

He also trained in ballet so he won't have trouble with his lines which a lot of the male skaters have. There is also a video on YouTube of him skating competently with Leona Lewis. So with his dancing, rollerblading and skating experience he should go all the way. I'm not saying ice skating training just with all his talents under his belt he is far ahead of the mark that Chris Fountain started with last year

yes but when claire buckfield did it the other year she had previous experience!

Most serious ballroom dancers take ballet lessons, particularly for Latin as it helps with poise, balance, spins, etc. Ray's done practically every type of dancing (maybe not belly dancing, but who can tell!!!)

He's quite cute though, so daresay he will be popular, whatever his previous experience.

It's not really an advantage though, a broken leg is a big thing and he might have a much bigger fear of the ice than the others now.

he has been on the ice quite a lot since his broken leg

I would say he has a bigger advantage than most of them

I saw Strictly Ice dancing on the Watch channel last week and he won that. I don't think either of them should have had the chance tbh. I don't remember them pointing out David had won that.

I skated as a child and took my own children for the first time this year and couldn't put one foot in front of the other! Most shaming! So I guess it just takes a few weeks to get the hang of it again. I don't think Jessica is at an advantage thought really, unless she has skated a lot.

I think in some ways he will be at a disadvantage as he will have the fear of aggravating the break or falling and damaging himself again which the other won't have. For the amount of training he had last year, going out in the second week, I think it means he will be about the same standard as most of the others.

I understand people kicking up a bit of a stink about jessica having done the SID show 4 yrs ago, I was her pro partner on the programme.

Jess had 3 - 4 weeks to learn the basics and learn the routine which i had choreographed to test her. i'm sure you can imagine this is no time at all to take on a new skill. If she hadn't have done the SID show and gone into DOI completely cold (excuse the pun) she would still be at a high level as Jess showed me that she has natural talent for being on the ice as well as the enjoyment and desire to learn.

With the 3 months prep time for DOI that all the celebs have i really don't feel that the 3 weeks we had doing strictly will really have a huge influence and give her that much of an adavantage.

I have no doubt that she will go far in this series and gain a huge fan base from the show

That was a total myth. Clare's only ice skating experience was going to the rink like thousands of others each week.
They wanted to make her look like she was lying when infact it was covered up that Emily Symons went skating regualrly as a child and her borther was an Australian champion, as well as Ulrika skating as a child. Also Kyran having trianted to skate to get over a Rugby injury early in his career. Also by her own confession she is very clumsy.

And played ice hockey - didn't stop him dropping his partner.

This myth has been doing the rounds since Series 2 - you'll never quash it.

Will someone tell me please where it says that DOI is only for skaters who havent skated before??? Does it matter??? Dont think anyone has hidden any experience they have had, and if the other celebs dont like it then they didnt have to enter.

And if the rules allow it and the other celebs dont mind why should anyone else?? Only small minded people would think this way IMO.

But do feel sorry for Jessica, if she is good on saturday then boy is she in for a pasting on here!