Would be fun wouldn't it! I doubt they would stay upright for very long though. Might make them rethink about some of their negative comments.

I am afraid I am probably just a bit annoyed that the stronger skater (Michael) was voted off tonight. However he was saved by the two ice dancers - Karen and Nicky - who know what they are talking about!

Ruthie is atrocious and useless as a judge. Keeps harping on about performance even when the performance is not at all like she is claiming it was. Idiotic woman.

I understand that Ruthie and Jason are there to comment mainly on the performance side but seeing as it's a skating competition I feel that they should take into consideration a bit more the person's actual skating ability.

I don't understand Ruthie's marking at all.

I must say I was surprised and disappointed tonight when Robin saved Melinda as I thought he would have gone with actual skating ability.

Perhaps he just didn't want Fred to leave (I'm with him on that one) ...lol

I wish the pair of them would disappear. It's very annoying when the skaters mark fairly and to encourage the competitors, and Jason and Ruthie don't.

As far as "actual skating ability" goes, neither Michael nor Melinda had any great strengths. I can see why they went with Melinda - Michael has had three years of ice dance training and still looks like Bambi's elderly father on ice (slight exaggeration there but you get the point). Melinda is just starting out, improving week on week, and at least manages to look graceful occasionally even if she isn't capable of much more skating content yet.

I don't know what's happened.

They didn't seem so bad last year.

Now they're more unpleasant, and their marks make less sense.

If they do start dancing on the ice, can someone please push them back down the tunnel and out the door?

yes it would be hillarious.

Robin saved Melinda. I have a lot of respect for him as a skater and performer on ice, so have to assume he saw something in Melinda's performance that eluded me.

I don't mind Jason but just do not see the point of having Ruthie there. The comments this series make me think that Ruthie is trying to be the judge with the cutting soundbites as she can't compete with the others who have the skating knowledge. Get rid of her and replace with the previous season's winner.

DIARY: RUTHIE'S SKATE EXPECTATIONS

Dianne Bourne
Manchester Evening News
April 01, 2009

AS a judge on TV'S Dancing On Ice, West End star Ruthie Henshall has faced her own share of criticism for commenting on others skating - while not having any ice skills herself.

But she tells me that is all about to change as she's planning on learning to skate when she joins the live tour of the hit ITV show.

For Ruthie is planning on getting expert tuition from her fellow judges and former skate champions Robin Cousins and Karen Barber. She tells me: "I can't wait to join the Dancing On Ice live tour on the judging panel as I've never been able to do it before because of West End commitments. And Robin and Karen have said they will take me out on the ice and show me a few skills along the way."

And trained dancer Ruthie must be confident she'll soon get to grips with the slippery skill - as she reckons she should be among the celebs to take part in next year's show.

She laughs: "Really it should be me, presenters Philip Schofield, Holly Willoughby and [fellow judge] Jason Gardiner who should be doing the skating next time."

The Diary caught up with Ruthie at Salford's Lowry Hotel yesterday where she was catching up on all the details of the upcoming live tour of Dancing On Ice with the show's presenter Andi Peters, which heads to the M.E.N. Arena from April 16.

Although Andi, a former contestant back on the very first series of the skating show, was doing his level best to put Ruthie off.

For he is still recovering from his broken ankle sustained while rehearsing an ice routine.

He says: "I've been told I'll never have full mobility in my ankle again. I'm still rubbing bio-oil into the scar every day in the hope it will go away.

"People just don't realise how challenging ice skating really is."

Andi and Ruthie tell me we can expect a real treat with the ice tour though, particularly as all three former Dancing On Ice champions - singer Ray Quinn, Bury's own Suzanne Shaw and rugby player Kyran Bracken - will compete at each show to be crowned champion.

Andi laughed: "I can see it getting fiercely competitive out there with three former champions and some very, very good runners-up all coming on tour."

Maybe they could fly down the tunnel like Todd