DENISE Welch had her fingers crossed on two counts yesterday as she prepared for the Tyneside debut of Dancing on Ice On Tour 2011.
The first was in hope of her costume staying in one piece after a “wardrobe malfunction” in Sheffield left her red faced in front of a standing ovation.
And the second was that she didn’t get voted through to perform the Bolero in front of a sell-out crowd at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle.
“If ever I got chosen to do the Bolero, then I’ve got it planned that I’m going to faint,” said the 52-year-old actress, who made it to week nine during the popular ITV1 series.
“The thought of a comedy Bolero just doesn’t bear thinking about.” The thought of 10,000 people in her home city, however, brings her nothing but butterflies of the good kind.
“I’m so excited. It’s sold out and I’ve never played to that many people before. I mean I’m rubbish, but I just try to provide the laughs wherever I can... like with the costume in Sheffield, although that was not planned.
“Jayne (Torvill) and Chris (Dean) said I should try and work it into the routine every night, but I declined their kind offer.”
Denise was speaking ahead of the first of three performances at the Arena, where she was joined by a crowd of contestants from the show.
Winner Sam Attwater, Laura Hamilton, Comedy Dave Vitty, Johnson Beharry, Jeff Brazier, Hayley Tamaddon, who won the series in 2010, and Chloe Madeley were all limbering up in the ice yesterday afternoon, under the watchful eyes of Torvill and Dean, who also skate crowd-pleasing routines as part of the show. “It’s been lovely because we’re all travelling around and living together in hotels,” she said. “I had them all out in Newcastle on Monday night at Madame Koo’s. It’s lovely to be here with people who don’t know it so well. It means I can show it off.”
Last night’s opening show thrilled a packed arena with a mixture of group dances, more sequins than you’d find in a Las Vegas dressing room, and an interactive audience vote to supplement the popular on-tour judging panel of Robin Cousins, Karen Barber and guest panelist, Christopher Biggins.
“I’m doing the True Colours routine,” said Denise, “and if the audience votes us to skate again, we’re doing Shirley Bassey’s Wonderful.”
:: TORVILL and Dean’s Dancing on Ice on Tour is playing two performances at the Metro Radio Arena today. Call 0844 493 6666 for tickets.
