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Dancing On Ice: Strictly's Brendan Cole gives best skating debut 'ever'

Albertina Lloyd
·Contributor
·3-min read
Brendan Cole's debut on 'Dancing On Ice' hailed as best first performance 'ever' by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. (ITV)
Brendan Cole's debut on 'Dancing On Ice' hailed as best first performance 'ever' by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. (ITV)

Brendan Cole's debut performance on Dancing On Ice has been hailed as the best "ever" by head judges Jayne Torvill and long-time skating partner Christopher Dean.

The professional dancer who found fame on rival BBC show Strictly Come Dancing is partnered with professional skater Vanessa Bauer and the pair opened the new series of the ITV skating show and scored an impressive 30.5/40.

Cole, 45, told presenter Holly Willoughby he was "absolutely ecstatic" with his high score.

Read more: Brendan Cole says 'young upstart' days are over as he gears up for 'Dancing On Ice'

His voice was shaking as he confessed: "I'm so thrilled to be here. Listen to me - I'm all emotion. It was a lot of pressure coming out and opening the show, I wanted it to be an amazing show You must be able to hear my heart is pounding in my microphone."

Olympic skater Christopher Dean told him: "That was the best first performance I've seen by a celebrity in all 14 series."

Jayne Torvill said: "I agree with Chris this is the best first performance we've had for the show."

This image and the information contained herein is strictly embargoed until 00.01 Tuesday 11th January 2022 From Lifted Entertainment Dancing on Ice: SR14 on ITV and ITV Hub Pictured: Vanessa Bauer and Brendan Cole. This photograph is (C) ITV Plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms For further information please contact: james.hilder@itv.com / 0207 157 3052
Brendan Cole's 'Dancing On Ice' partner Vanessa Bauer has been in the final three times and even won the show before. (ITV)

Asked if Cole had an advantage as a professional dancer, Dean said: "He has learnt to skate - before you can dance you have to skate. He's opened up his ability to dance now."

Judge Ashley Banjo told him: "I want to say hats off that was incredible! Definitely one of the best first skates we've ever seen. You and Vanessa week oen - I just know you're going to be trouble."

New DOI judge Oti Mabuse - a fellow Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer - gave Cole the highest score of 8/10, while the other judges all gave him 7.5.

She gushed: "It was explosive and passionate and the two of you had chemistry. Vanessa well done - you challenged him."

But Dean warned him: "What we don't want is you plateauing."

This image and the information contained herein is strictly embargoed from publication until 00.01 Wednesday 22nd December 2021 From Lifted Entertainment Dancing on Ice: SR14 on ITV and ITV Hub Pictured: (L-R), Oti Mabuse, Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean and Ashley Banjo. This photograph is (C) ITV Plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms For further information please contact: james.hilder@itv.com / 0207 157 3052
Judges Oti Mabuse, Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean and Ashley Banjo awarded Brendan Cole an impressive score for his debut performance on 'Dancing On Ice'. (ITV)

Vanessa Bauer has skated in the Dancing On Ice final three times - with Diversity's Peri Kiely in 2020, Love Island's Wes Nelson in 2019 and winning with The X Factor's Jake Quikenden in 2018.

Presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were delighted to welcome a live audience back to the ice rink following the COVID restrictions in 2021.

Read more: Brendan Cole ended up in A&E with concussion after Dancing On Ice fall

The celebrity-studded audience were all wearing face masks, in keeping with government social-distancing restrictions.

Dancing On Ice launched in 2006 and is now in its 14th series.

Watch: Bez suffer dramatic fall in Dancing On Ice training