ITV's Dancing on Ice may be all grace and style (mainly) on the show but behind the scenes celebs have a gruelling training schedule to keep. One former show contestant has explained how she suffered horrendous injures in training including breaking bones, popping a knee cap and ripping a tendon.
When former EastEnders star Danniella Westbrook signed up for Dancing on Ice back in 2010 she could have had no idea as to the extent of the injures that she would eventually endure as a result. The former soap queen, and mum of two, was partnered up for the programme with professional skater Matthew Gonzalez.
Matthew Gonzalez is a US Pairs Skater. The show couple eventually came fourth in the series, losing out to fellow soap star Hayley Tamaddon and her skating partner Daniel Whiston who won that year. Hayley is best known for her roles in Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
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Danniella's journey on the show was marred with injury. The 49-year-old revealed just what she endured during an interview with Daily Star. Giving readers a behind the scenes glimpse of the the show and its training regime, she confessed: “I broke three ribs, I ripped my tendon in my leg, and twisted my knee and popped it out of the knee cap."
However, despite carrying injuries, the actress who played Sam Mitchell in EastEnders, added: "That was all in rehearsal but I managed to skate every week." She continued: "Your skating partner is like your therapist. There are so many hats they have to wear."
Reflecting on her time on the hit ITV competition, she added: "It's like when you shoot EastEnders, you spend more time on set than you do your own family."
The current series of Dancing On Ice saw another EastEnders star take to the ice. However, on Sunday, February 12, in the latest dance-off, it was Patsy Palmer who was axed from the series. The 50-year-old and her professional partner Matt Evers were beaten in the skate-off by comedian Darren Harriott, 34, and skating pro Tippy Packard.
Maybe Patsy had a lucky escape when it came to keeping herself major injury free. As Danniella admitted from her 2010 stint on the show: "There were people who had a lot worse than me, the pro skaters skate with injuries all the time. To do on a show like that and not experience every level of it, I felt like I did get the full experience that way."
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