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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Katie Fitzpatrick

ITV Dancing On Ice fans 'crying their eyes out' over The Vivienne's raw and stripped back performance as they stepped out of drag

It was an emotional night on the ice as The Vivienne performed without their "armour" for the first time. Dancing On Ice fans were in tears on Sunday night (February 12) as the RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner went without drag for the first time on the ITV skating contest.

The Vivienne skated as James Lee Williams with professional partner Colin Grafton to Halo by Beyonce for Icons Week, and fans were moved as they stripped it back to basics. The routine began with a video of The Vivienne removing her makeup before gliding across the ice with Colin in matching black trousers and pale blue shirts.

The Vivienne is the first ever drag queen to take part in Dancing On Ice. Describing their look as their "armour" The Vivienne said it was "the most raw and open I've been." The pair scored 33.5 out of 40 from the judges, their highest in the competition so far this series.

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James admitted that ahead of the performance they had popped their shoulder. "Then I had diarrhoea!’, James confessed, causing host Holly Willoughby to retort that the detail was "TMI." "You nearly had a slush puppy!" James continued.

@tillyjeanette took to Twitter to say: "Not me getting weepy at watching The Vivienne skating to Halo by Beyoncé. That was beautiful." And @Chelseastone1 praised: "What a beautiful, raw performance."

They prompted tears with the raw performance (ITV)

@HiftleJanice described the performance as "brave and fabulous" and @elise248 tweeted: "@THEVIVIENNEUK was stunning tonight - got goosebumps."

@vanessaassugg said: "Crying my little eyes out watching these two, they’re so beautiful to watch." @LoveRealityTV4 declared: "Crying rn don’t care if there was a mistake that touched so many hearts!! AMAZING." And @Meggamon wrote: "Crying at @THEVIVIENNEUK routine on #DancingOnIce. Why am I so emotional."

The Vivienne was crowned the first winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK back in 2019. The UK version was launched after the show's huge success in the US.

The Vivienne and Colin Grafton (Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Later former EastEnders star Patsy Palmer fought back tears as she became the fourth star to be eliminated from the show following a skate-off with comedian Darren Harriot and his professional skating partner Tippy Packard. "I've exceeded what I thought I can do, so I'm genuinely proud of myself," she said on her departure.

Patsy and her pro partner Matt Evers join former footballer John Fashanu, who was the first star to be voted off the show with his partner Alexandra Schauman, Liberty X popstar Michelle Heaton and Love Island 2022 winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. Earlier in the show Patsy apologised for not hearing the beginning and being thrown off the start to their routine as she skarted as Spice Girl Geri Horner to Spice Up Your Life.

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