Grab yourself a rinkside seat this Sunday as Dancing On Ice presents its 2022 grand finale!
Our top three skating stars — former Strictly pro Brendan Cole, Pussycat Dolls star Kimberly Wyatt and dancer Regan Gascoigne — will be taking to the ice with their professional partners one last time in a bid to be crowned your Dancing On Ice 2022 champions.
But who will be joining the list of past Dancing On Ice winners?
Each remaining couple will be performing a brand-new showcase routine as well as reprising their favorite routine of the series — but only the top two couples in the public vote will get the chance to perform their take on Torvill & Dean's iconic routine to Maurice Ravel's 'Boléro', for which they won gold at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
Ahead of the final, we caught up with Dancing On Ice's associate creative director — and former three-time champion with his celebrity partners Gaynor Faye, Hayley Tamaddon and Beth Tweddle in 2006, 2010 and 2013 respectively — Dan Whiston, to find out what we can expect from this year's grand final...
How has the standard of talent been on Dancing On Ice this year?
"This year has been unbelievable! Everybody, the whole team is so appreciative of where they are and what they're doing. We've come out of a time where West End shows are being cancelled and TV shows have had to be cancelled, and people have been struggling, now all we want to do is put on a fantastic show for the people at home. I just hope everyone's enjoyed it!"
Are you impressed with what the three finalists have achieved?
"Because everybody's taking the show so seriously, and they're so invested in it, the standard has never been higher — and for my role in the show, that's so wonderful because we can push boundaries. We can push the bar to a place it's never been before — the standard is not going to slip now!"
How have you found working with Brendan Cole?
"Brendan's done a fantastic job — he's got his experience of performance from Strictly and he's bringing that to the ice. It's similar to what [2019 winner] James Jordan did, and it's wonderful to work with someone like that because they have their own ideas as well which can be incorporated into the routines. I've loved and enjoyed working with him because he brings a different edge."
And what has it been like working with Kimberly Wyatt?
"Kimberly is so wonderful to work with — she's quite inspiring, actually, because she's obviously a trained dancer, but you have to teach the dancer how to skate. She's very dedicated and very professional, is Kim. She gives everything she's got, and she wants to get perfection — she'll go over and over and over a step until she gets it, she's very determined!"
And how about working with Regan Gascoigne?
"Regan has been under the radar, but he's got so much more to bring. For me, one of the standout routines of Torvill & Dean Week was 'Barnum', he really did deliver. I was on the edge of my seat, and it brought Jayne [Torvill] to tears! He is absolutely one to watch — I think he's completely in vision after that performance, and he could be one to watch!"
The show had a week's break between the semi-final and the final for FA Cup football. Will that be helpful for the finalists?
"I think that's a really positive thing. We've got an extra week to get their routine, and they've got a lot to learn! They've got the Boléro to get down, so I think it will make for a better quality final because they've got that extra week of training."
You've won the show three times yourself — how do you think the finalists will be feeling on Sunday?
"They're going to feel full of anxiety, and full of stress — but it's a case of dealing with that, turning it into the routine and making sure it works for you rather than against you. Some people may crumble a little bit under this kind of stress, other people will rise — and that's what will split the difference..."
The Dancing On Ice finale airs on Sunday, March 27 at 7pm on ITV.
