Danniella Westbrook among Dancing On Ice line-up!

Danniella Westbrook among Dancing On Ice line-up! (Image credit: UK Press/Press Association Image)

EastEnders star Danniella Westbrook is among the stars taking part in the new series of Dancing On Ice, according to the papers. The News Of The World reports that Westbrook - best known as Sam Mitchell in the soap - is one of 14 celebrities who will be honing their skating skills on the ITV1 show, which returns to screens in January. And the paper has also revealed details of the other stars said to be taking part. They include Paul McCartney's former wife Heather Mills, pop star Sinitta and Tana Ramsay, wife of TV chef Gordon. This Morning host Ruth Langsford, Olympic swimmer turned TV presenter Sharron Davies and actress Emily Atack - star of Channel 4 sitcom The Inbetweeners - reportedly complete the line-up for the girls. Bill star Gary Lucy is among the male celebrities reported to be competing, along with former Corrie actor Danny Young, Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson and Boyzone's Mikey Graham. TV medic Dr Hilary Jones, ex-England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, Holby City's Jeremy Sheffield and funnyman Bobby Davro are also said to be on board. New judge Emma Bunton - who replaces previous panellist Ruthie Henshall - has said that the line-up for the show is the "hottest yet". And a show insider told the News Of The World, "They've seen what The X Factor did in terms of raking in advertising cash, so they've gone all out this year with some really big names."

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.