Dancing on Ice 2023: Meet the contestants as Drag Race UK and Towie stars join cast

The first cast members of Dancing on Ice 2023 have been announced.

The skating competition series will return in the new year with 11 celebrities trying to impress the judges as they learn the tricky art of ice skating.

The last series was won by Regan Gascoigne and his professional partner Karina Manta.

Meet the celebrities taking part in Dancing on Ice 2023…

Patsy Palmer

The first celebrity announced to be taking part was former EastEnders-star-turned-DJ Patsy Palmer.

Palmer appeared on the soap as Bianca Jackson on and off between 1993 and 2019 and competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2005.

Speaking about joining Dancing On Ice on This Morning, the actor explained: “My pact that I made with myself when I was 50 was I have to do things to challenge myself for the next couple of years.

“This is for all the 50 year-olds out there that think they can’t challenge themselves!”

John Fashanu

Former footballer John Fashanu will also be hitting the ice next year.

The centre-forward is best known for his eight-year stint at Wimbledon, during which he scored over 100 goals and won the 1988 FA Cup.

Fashanu is “so excited” to be joining Dancing on Ice, saying: “I don’t think it’ll come as a surprise to people that I’m very competitive – I am definitely in it to win it. And this may be one of the scariest things I’ve ever signed up for but I couldn’t be more ready for the challenge!”

Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu

On Wednesday (5 October), it was announced that reigning Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu would be competing on Dancing on Ice in 2023.

The TV personality and actor won the reality show this summer with boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Cülcüloğlu said: “I’ve got some amazing news to tell you, I’m going to be doing this year’s Dancing on Ice! I’m so excited, I can’t wait to get myself on the ice and skate. Stay tuned and see you on the ice!”

Nile Wilson

Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson won bronze in 2016 for his performance on the horizontal bar and is now going for gold on the ice too.

Announcing the news on his YouTube channel, Wilson, 26, said that his aim on the show was to do “something that no-one has ever done before”.

“This is a really cool thing,” he said. “I’ve certainly not done much ice-skating but I am so excited for the opportunity. I’m so excited to get into that routine and to feel like an athlete again.”

Mollie Gallagher

Actor Mollie Gallagher is best known to Coronation Street fans as Roy Cropper’s niece Nina Lucas.

Corrie may have been the actor’s first credited role, yet it was enough to earn her the award for Best Serial Drama Performance at the 2021 NTAs.

Appearing on Lorraine, Gallagher said: “I’m really excited. I’ve not really felt nervous yet, strangely. But being here today, I am now feeling it a little bit!”

The Vivienne

The next addition to the Dancing on Ice 2023 cast is RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne, AKA James Lee Williams.

The Vivienne won the first series of Drag Race UK and recently competed on the UK Versus The World spin-off.

“This is honestly a dream come true and I can’t wait to start training on the ice,” she tweeted. “To be the first drag artist to take part in one of the big UK reality competition shows is truly an honour. I think it’s a big step forward for queer representation on TV.”

Joey Essex

The king of all things “reem”, The Only Way is Essex’s Joey Essex was revealed to be joining the show on This Morning on Friday (7 October).

The reality TV star said: “I would love to win. I’m going to put all my energy into this. This stage in my life, I’m so ready for this.

“I’m doing it for me. I want to impress the judges but I want to impress myself.”

This list will be updated as more cast members are announced...