Dancing on Ice inspires big-budget teen skating drama on Amazon Prime shedding light on the dark side of ice skating
The makers of Grange Hill are launching a drama about a group of teens in the highly competitive sport as 'skating becomes hugely popular off the back of' shows like Torvill & Dean
BETWEEN the perilous falls and Jason Gardiner’s cutting barbs, Dancing On Ice is never short of high-stakes twists and turns.
So it was inevitable the hit ITV show would provide inspiration for an ice-skating drama.
I can reveal the makers of Grange Hill and Hollyoaks, Lime Pictures, are launching a programme about a group of teenagers involved in the highly competitive sport.
A source said: “Skating has become hugely popular off the back of Dancing On Ice, Margot Robbie’s film I, Tonya and the recent ITV drama, Torvill & Dean.
“Lime Pictures decided that the brutal training regime and extremely competitive nature of ice skating would be great starting point for a drama.
“The storyline is being kept under wraps — but it’s going to shed light on the dark side of skating as the characters gamble their friendships to reach the top of their game.”
The programme is not the only upcoming skating show, with Spinning Out from Netflix hitting our screens later this year.
Skins star Kaya Scodelario and US actress Emma Roberts have both signed up for the ten-part drama.
Who knew we’d all be so interested in skating before Dancing On Ice came along.
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Yanks wild over SuBo
A DECADE after she shot to stardom on Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle’s set to triumph all over again on the US version.
Judge Mel B sent her straight through to the finals of America’s Got Talent: The Champions after hitting the golden buzzer this week.
SuBo, who performed her cover of Rolling Stones’ Wild Horses, looked overwhelmed as Simon Cowell gave her a celebratory hug.
She was appearing alongside fellow Brit and AGT contestant Courtney Hadwin and other acts from versions of the hit show from around the world.
Susan became a viral sensation after delivering a beautiful performance of Les Miserables’ I Dreamed A Dream on BGT in 2009.
After selling more than 20million albums in ten years, no wonder Simon is glad to see her back.
bizbit
STRICTLY star Gemma Atkinson says her pro dancer fella Gorka Marquez has given her so much confidence she walks around the house “without breathing in” and with “just my knickers on”.
Ben moan stuns Sheri
SHERIDAN Smith is delighted to be starring in ITV’s Cleaning Up – a thriller about female empowerment.
But she’ll be miffed to hear her co-star on the show, which starts tonight, thinks the #MeToo movement has had a negative effect on telly dramas.
Ben Bailey Smith plays stockbroker Blake, who unwittingly introduces Sheridan’s character, office cleaner Sam, to lucrative insider trading. He said: “There’s a lot of stuff out there now that’s a little bit box-ticky where they’re like, ‘Hey, look – it’s all women doing things you don’t see women do.’
“I watch it and think, ‘Yeah, that’s all it is – it’s not actually all that good.’
Ben added: “It’s weedling its way into everything, I’m also talking about black characters as well. Because we’ve got #MeToo, because we’re combatting racism head on, then suddenly they have to go over the odds. No white, straight male could say this – but I’m getting a bit of diversity-fatigue.”
I’m not sure Sheridan will feel the same way, Ben.
Viewers leave 4 drama
ALMOST 52 per cent of voters in the EU referendum voted to leave – and a similar number decided to quit Channel 4’s Brexit drama, too.
One-off show Brexit: The Uncivil War, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Vote Leave mastermind Dominic Cummings, pulled in a peak 1.4million viewers during its opening scenes.
But more than half had switched off by the end.
Even How To Lose Weight Well, also on C4, attracted more.
Viewers took to social media to point out inaccuracies, moaned about the frequent advert breaks and mocked Benedict’s North East twang.
BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker asked: “Anyone know where that accent is meant to be from?”
The drama showed MP Douglas meeting political lobbyist Matthew Elliott at the London gallery. But Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes pointed out that it was “actually Daniel Hannan and Douglas Carswell that would meet at the Tate to discuss the Leave campaign”.
Meanwhile, another viewer observed: “Third ad break in 46 minutes WTF.”
The show was almost as divisive as Brexit itself.
bizbit
CORONATION Street star Julia Goulding has got engaged to her teaching assistant boyfriend Ben Silver after three years together. He proposed back in March but they have kept the news secret until now.
must watch
WHAT? The Undateables, Channel 4, 9pm.
WHY? New series of the dating show with a difference. The first episode features Emily, who has a learning disability, and poetry-lover Michael, who has Asperger’s.
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soapbox
IN CORONATION Street Audrey accuses Claudia of stealing her £80,000 but Nick talks her out of reporting it to the police.
Tim, meanwhile, is at the police station giving a statement about what Gina found out.
Elsewhere, Eileen tries to play peacemaker between Liz, Jenny and Johnny, and when Brian struggles to find a new line of work, Cathy has a brainwave – and with Rita’s help persuades Brian to give the Kabin job a go.
In NEIGHBOURS, Amy decides to see Jimmy in New York, but not before admitting to Elly that she still loves Gary.
Meanwhile, Fay turns up, but Chloe is reluctant to reveal her Huntington’s diagnosis.