ITV is currently airing its fourth series of the hugely popular Dancing on Ice, and last night’s entertainment was unforgettable. The rather clueless but determined novice Todd Carty, aka Mark Fowler from Eastenders, provided a hilarious set as he stumbled his way over the ice and off the rink only to return at the end of the routine. His comedic session drew laughter from the judges, the presenters and from the audience – both at home and in the studio. His antics resulted in the lowest scores ever from the judges but only made his popularity soar. He has been kept in by the voting public and I can’t wait to see what he will do next.
Many stars have profited from their time in the reality show by producing fitness videos and encouraging the public to get on the ice. Ice skating can provide a fun way of getting fit but remember if you are considering an outing on the slippery surface to do so safely. Even with expert assistance on the side lines, many of the contestants and partnering pros have suffered painful and permanent injuries.
Andi Peters suffered a broken ankle during a training session, Chris Fountain dropped his skating partner on her head, she cracked her head and suffered whiplash in the fall, and after Suzanne Shaw chipped a bone in her ankle, she described the pain as worse than childbirth.
Many cities around the UK have erected skating rinks to provide cheap and wholesome entertainment for the whole family this winter. This can be a great outing but before gliding out like Torvill and Dean remember a few things: spend time warming up your muscles making you more agile and flexible, wear padded and protective clothing where possible and ensure that the equipment provided fits properly and is up to the task in hand.
If you do suffer an injury make sure you see your GP as soon as possible to prevent an escalating problem which could intensify the damage. For more information about skating safely see www.safesport.co.uk.