Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean to swap coaching for judging on Dancing on Ice revamp
DANCING On Fans hoping to see JAYNE TORVILL and CHRISTOPHER DEAN revive the Bolero on the show’s reboot are going to be left disappointed.
Instead of their old role on the ITV show as coaches, bosses are now considering bringing the Olympic gold medal winners back on board as
judges.
But they won’t be returning to screen for several months, as it is not expected to air until January 2018.
A show insider said: “Torvill and Dean loved their years spent teaching celebrities how to skate but they want to change things up for the new series.
“Now they are in talks to become judges, where they will finally get to have a proper say on what they think about the celebrities taking
part.
“In the original format they were there to help them along the way, but this will mean they can use their gold medal winning expertise to
decide who continues in the competition.
“If anyone is qualified to be a judge, it’s them, and it would be a great way to shake up the format and give it a new lease of life.”
Other professional ice skaters are now in discussions to join the show to work as trainers for the celebrities taking part.
The Sun revealed the popular talent show was being lined up for a shock return in March, three years after it ended on ITV.
Last month, Jayne confirmed it would be coming back but admitted the format was being updated.
She said: “I love that it’s coming back, it’s great news – I’m really looking forward to it.
“The show will definitely be refreshed but the basics will be the same. There’s a new bar to set when the show returns.”
At its peak, it was the third-highest rated show on the telly.
With this latest twist, it could soon be racing back towards the top.
I think it would be a great move to put them on the judging panel.
But they've got to get Dancing on Ice's original Mr Nasty JASON GARDINER back - an essential part of the show.
And I'd quite like to throw KAREN BARBER into the mix as her rows with Jason were legendary.
READ ON FOR MORE OF DAN WOOTTON'S BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Arg to lift lyd on love
LYDIA BRIGHT called time on their on-off Towie romance last summer, but it seems JAMES ‘ARG’ ARGENT has only now accepted that it really is all over.
And in a bid to find new love, the reality star singleton has signed up for the new series of E4 show Celebs Go Dating.
After shedding weight following a stint in rehab in Thailand, the once portly Arg is brimming with confidence and ready to make a big impact for his TV comeback.
A source said: “Arg is really looking foward to dating again and being back on telly.
“Celebs Go Dating has come at the perfect time.
“He’s hoping to meet somebody who can finally help him get over Lydia.”
He joins Towie co-star BOBBY NORRIS on the new series of Celebs Go Dating, which airs later his year.
Arg has lost so much weight the pair will now be able to swap clothes . . . But maybe not Bobby’s thong.
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
James' pane-ful gold gags
FANS of The Inbetweeners will enjoy new BBC comedy White Gold – but it’s not for the easily offended.
JOE THOMAS and JAMES BUCKLEY play 1980s double glazing salesmen, who crack jokes that are very close to the bone. James’s character Fitzpatrick calls an Asian character “slanty-eyed” and also dubs an Irish window fitter an “IRA-nus”.
The show, also stars ED WESTWICK.
But writer Damon Beesley, who also jointly penned The Inbetweeners, defended the gags on White Gold, which starts on Wednesday, May 24, on BBC2 at 10pm.
He said: “There’s always that line, wanting to make it feel real of that era, and also making sure you’re not just using it gratuitously to get a laugh. In both examples, Fitzpatrick gets immediately picked up.
“We worked very closely with the BBC and take all of those considerations into account.
“It was the same with The Inbetweeners – we did have to justify it to ourselves.”
Not many people complained about the Inbetweeners’ silly gags, but they might about this.
Michelle, Our Girl in Nepal
HER days on Coronation Street’s rainy cobbles seem a million years ago.
Here’s MICHELLE KEEGAN on the first day of filming in Nepal for the new series of BBC1 Army drama Our Girl.
Michelle, who plays lance corporal Georgie Lane, wore camouflage gear as she started work on the third series.
Meanwhile, her husband MARK WRIGHT was wearing a lot less in an Instagram video. He uploaded footage of himself in Majorca, wearing tight white briefs that didn’t leave too much to the imagination.
It would take more than Michelle’s camo gear to hide that bulge.
SOAPBOX
THE finger of suspicion points at newbie Nell Fairfax when young Amba’s life is placed in danger in EMMERDALE.
Nell does her best to make an impression as she gets all dressed up for Amba’s birthday party, and later impresses Priya by looking after her daughter.
But the atmosphere quickly sours when Priya finds the tot with pills in her hand – and blames former addict Nell.
Meanwhile, cash-strapped Denise is left mortified on EASTENDERS.
Having being turned away by the Jobcentre, she is forced to visit a food bank – and finds Cora Cross working there.
With no money coming in, no food and no obvious means of changing any of it, Denise really is having a bad time of it.