Leeds Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson wants to 'shock viewers' in Dancing On Ice

Leeds-born Nile is among 11 brave celebrities taking to the ice this year, competing alongside EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer, footballer John Fashanu, Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu, Coronation Street star Mollie Gallagher, drag queen The Vivienne, TV personality Joey Essex, comedian Darren Harriott, West End star Carley Stenson, singer Michelle Heaton and The Wanted’s Siva Kaneswaran.

The contestants will be joined by their world-class ice dancer partners, hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and expert judges Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Ashley Banjo and Oti Mabuse.

Nile began his gymnastics journey from the age of five at Leeds Gymnastics Club. In 2015, he was part of the team that won GB’s first world team silver medal and was the first British Gymnast to compete in a Parallel Bars final. A year later, he competed in the Rio Olympics where he won a bronze medal in the High Bar final, another first for GB in gymnastics.

Nile, 26, says: “I’ve been retired from sport for the last couple of years. You struggle to find the real purpose, it’s a really difficult thing. I’m a competitor so I really, really want to win. There is a fire inside of me that makes me a competitor. Dancing On Ice is going to be a really amazing experience. With my gymnastics background I’m body-aware and I’m really passionate about doing something on the ice that no other contestant has done before – I really want to shock the viewers and almost make history.”

Patsy Palmer has opened up about her nerves ahead of the show. The mum-of-four admitted she is concerned about injuring herself. “When I was doing Strictly Come Dancing (In 2005 Palmer took part in BBC's Strictly Come Dancing show, to raise money for the Children in Need fund), I used to get sick from spinning,” she says. “I hadn’t really watched it so I didn’t realise how much spinning was involved. I was really gutted about that because it used to set me back. If I hadn’t had that I think I could have gone way further in the competition.

"I’m hoping that, with the momentum on ice, it won’t happen. I’m obviously nervous about hurting myself, especially at my age as I’m 50 now – I don’t want to break any bones or anything. Mainly it’s just the physical side that makes me scared, but I know for a fact that I’ll be super-nervous when it comes to the live shows. But it’s good to have a little bit of nerves.”

Joey Essex meanwhile is feeling confident. “I wouldn’t say there is anyone I’m scared to be up against,” he says. “I beat Louie Spence at Lip Sync Battle and Mike Tindall at The Jump – no-one scares me. You could be a professional dancer, I will beat you. You could be a rugby player, I’m going to beat you. I’d probably be more scared of an underdog, someone like [me].”

Dancing On Ice returns to ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday at 6.30pm.