Dancing On Ice: full marks for Ray!

Dancing On Ice: full marks for Ray!
Dancing On Ice: full marks for Ray!

Ray Quinn has become the first contestant in the current series of Dancing on Ice to score full marks, for his performance in the 80s themed show. The former X Factor finalist received five 6.0 scores from the judges for his routine to the Starship hit Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now in the 80s themed show. Robin Cousins summed up what the panel were thinking by describing the performance as "flawless". "There was not one wrong edge in the whole performance. Add to that your charisma and you have truly deserved the first memorable score of the series," he said. It was also a good week for Jessica Taylor and former Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon - who are shaping up as the nearest potential rivals to Ray. Ex Liberty X-er Jessica finished second on the scoreboard after skating to Bananarama's Venus, while Zoe Salmon was just behind on 22 points after her performance to Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now. "I actually thought that routine really captured the feeling and fun of the 1980s," said Jason Gardiner. Others had a rougher ride from the panel. In the absence of Todd Carty and his single figure marks, Colleen Nolan found herself propping up the bottom end of the scoreboard with 14.5 points for her routine to Chris de Burgh's Lady In Red. "You were tentative," Ruthie Henshall told her. "You have to take more risks." Ellery Hanley - who survived last week's skate-off - also fared poorly, with 15.5 points for his routine, described by Karen Barber as "still very much a work in progress." And Jason Gardiner saved his venom for Roxanne Pallett, who scored 16 for her routine to T'Pau's 80s chart-topper China In Your Hand. "You had about as much charisma as a Cabbage Patch Doll," the famously catty judge said. The 80s theme of the show was to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Torvill and Dean's gold medal-winning Bolero routine.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.