Dancing on Ice: Amber Davies early favourite, but Made in Chelsea’s Miles Nazaire close behind
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Olympian Greg Rutherford 6/1 in Dancing on Ice odds
The 12 celebrities competing in next year’s Dancing on Ice have been confirmed and Amber Davies is the early frontrunner to take home the trophy.
Davies is 3/1 favourite to win the competition which starts in January, with Made in Chelsea’s Miles Nazaire next in line at 4/1.
Here we look at all the contestants and their Dancing on Ice odds.
Amber Davies
The 27-year-old West End actress and reality star, who is set to play Vivian Ward in a Pretty Woman musical tour, became the fourth celebrity confirmed to appear on the show.
The news was revealed on ITV’s Lorraine, with Davies saying: “I would definitely say that I’m an adrenaline junkie but I do get more nervous as I get older and I hope that I can contain them, I don’t want the adrenaline to get the better of me. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve ice skated.”
Davies won hit ITV2 reality dating show Love Island in 2017 alongside ex-boyfriend Kem Cetinay.
After the show she landed her first major West End role in 9 To 5, before joining the third season of CBBC’s Almost Never, alongside The Pussycat Dolls star Kimberly Wyatt and JLS singer-songwriter Aston Merrygold.
Last year she joined the cast of Back To The Future The Musical playing the character of Lorraine Baines, the mother of protagonist Marty McFly – played by Ben Joyce.
Miles Nazaire
Nazaire became the sixth contestant to be announced for next year’s show and is reportedly being lined up with Vanessa Bauer as his dance partner.
Bauer and Joey Essex finished runner-up in the 2023 series and went on to have a relationship which finished earlier this year.
Nazaire, who also hosts a podcast called Playtime with his co-star Charlie Radnedge, said: “I’ve always loved to dance but it’s usually on a dance floor on a Saturday night and Dancing on Ice looks so difficult.
“I keep thinking about how I’m going to need to have rhythm while balancing on a thin blade and that’s when I feel the nerves kick in, but this is such an unbelievable opportunity to get totally out of my comfort zone.”
Greg Rutherford
The Olympian returns to the small screen after a reasonably successful stint on the 14th series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 when he made it to the ninth week.
Rutherford, who won long-jump gold at the 2012 London Olympics, revealed he had jumped straight back into his training routine and lost five kilos in six weeks in preparation for his appearance on the hit skating show.
During his unveiling on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Rutherford said: “That’s the thing for me where I maybe have a slight advantage when I come into these sorts of things is that I remember how to train hard – mentally, it’s very easy for me to flick back into that. So I work incredibly hard and crack on.”
Ricky Norwood
Former Eastenders actor Norwood announced he would be joining the show when he made an appearance on Loose Women.
Norwood, who played Fatboy on the BBC soap between 2010-15, is “apprehensive” about the lifts and accepts appearing on the show would be a “massive challenge”, one he accepted because it was “something that scared him”.
He added: “I’ve got to trust in the process, trust in the training, trust in the trainers. It’s come at such a great time. I’ve not done any rehearsals just yet, just physiotherapy exercises to strengthen the muscles.”
Ryan Thomas
Former Celebrity Big Brother champion Thomas is best known for playing Jason Grimshaw on Coronation Street from 2000 until 2016.
In 2018, he played Rafael Humphreys in Australian soap opera Neighbours.
Thomas has already been training hard and discussed his thoughts on joining the show on Steph’s Packed Lunch.
He said: “When you can actually get the opportunity to go and work with new people, outside your comfort zone, learn something new, it’s exciting, especially when you’ve got kids and family at home. It’s nice to do those things, it’s huge.”
Hannah Spearritt
The actress and singer, who was a founding member of 1990s pop group S Club 7 with hits including Don’t Stop Movin’, Bring It All Back, and Never Had A Dream Come True, shared the news on Good Morning Britain.
Talking about taking to the ice rink, Spearritt said: “I’m really excited about learning a new skill. It’s so easy to live your comfortable life and that aspect of mixing things up is very appealing. Fitness is another reason why I’m doing it! It’s really exciting.”
Roxy Shahidi
Shahidi, best known for playing Leyla Harding in ITV soap Emmerdale, was the final celebrity to join the line-up.
She said: “I’m an actor hiding behind a character, that’s where I’m most comfortable. Being yourself out there on the ice with no character to hide behind is really scary for me. I’d say that’s the scariest element for me.”
Adele Roberts
Broadcaster and DJ Roberts decided to compete on the ITV show because she has her “life back” after undergoing treatment for bowel cancer.
Roberts announced last June that she was cancer-free.
Revealing the news on ITV’s Lorraine, Roberts said: “It’s bricking it on ice for me. I think the hardest part is putting myself out there as I usually hide away. I did radio as it’s not visual. That’s going to be a big challenge. After cancer I have my life back, I actually can’t wait for the glam.”
In October 2021, Roberts revealed that she was undergoing treatment for bowel cancer and later had surgery to remove a tumour and began using a stoma bag.
Dancing On Ice will not be Roberts’ first sporting challenge, as she became the fastest woman to complete the London Marathon with a stoma bag in April this year, running the race in three hours 30 minutes and 22 seconds and achieving a Guinness World Record.
In June, Roberts announced that she was leaving BBC Radio 1 after eight years amid a presenter shake-up at the station. She joined the BBC in 2012 as part of the Radio 1 Xtra team, before moving to Radio 1 in 2015 to host the Early Breakfast Show.
Lou Sanders
The comedian, writer and actor shared the news with Nihal Arthanayake on Radio 5 Live that she would be joining the show in January.
Sanders, winner of the eighth series of Taskmaster in 2019, said: “I’m nervous about cracking my head open, or just bashing the old head. I can’t afford to lose any more brain cells. I’m also worried about my partner picking me up, he’s going to have to be very strong and very brave.”
Ricky Hatton
Former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton was announced as the first contestant in the upcoming series.
The 44-year-old, who officially retired from boxing in November 2012 before returning to the ring for an exhibition match last year, was unveiled as a participant during an episode of This Morning.
He said: “If I can hold my nerve in the boxing ring I should be able to hold my nerve in the ice rink. I like setting new challenges and keeping myself busy.”
Claire Sweeney
The 52-year-old actor joined British soap opera Coronation Street this year as Cassie Plummer, having first made her name on Brookside which ended in 2003.
Sweeney appeared on the first series of Strictly in 2004 when she was eliminated in week five and presented alternative Scouse commentary for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool.
She told This Morning: “I’m really looking forward to going to an ice rink with my son and actually being able to skate and not have to use the penguins they give you to help you stay upright!”
She added: “I’ve had to wear my boots around the house… I haven’t stepped on the ice yet.”
Stephen Lustig-Webb
An original member of the Gogglebox cast, Lustig-Webb was unveiled on Lorraine, when he said: “The last time I was on the ice I think I was 14, so almost 40 years ago.
“I have been back on the ice since just for a quick spin around, I didn’t fall over so that was a good thing. I’ve got a new appreciation for skating. I can see how truly difficult it is. From the comfort of my sofa I was probably a little too judgy, I didn’t realise how hard it is.”
The announcement comes weeks after the hairdresser confirmed his departure from hit Channel 4 show Gogglebox, having appeared on the show since its first series in 2013.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
