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Dancing On Ice's Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely talk possibility of contestants locking down with pros

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

From Digital Spy

Dancing On Ice is set to return later this year, but possibly with some big changes due to social distancing guidelines.

There have been rumours that the celebrity skaters will have to isolate with the professionals.

Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, the show's social host Jordan Banjo said: "I think it’s the only way it can work.

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

"You can’t socially distance from your partner, trying to catch with blades strapped to their feet two metres apart is going to be a challenge.

"If you’re going to go for the show then there’s not really another choice. I think you’d get to know each other very well and I think that would be helpful on the ice.

"Your whole world would become Strictly [Come Dancing] or Dancing On Ice because you’re not transitioning out. It’s more than just going there, doing rehearsal and then going home. If you’re with each other all the time, you’d be constant 24/7.

Photo credit:  Rex Shutterstock
Photo credit: Rex Shutterstock

Perri Kiely, who just missed out on taking the crown to Joe Swash in last year's series also discussed the possibility of the show not having a studio audience.

"You feed off an audience vibe, even though it’s a live TV show and everyone’s at home and everyone’s watching," he said.

"When you first go out and you see the judges and you see the hundreds of people that are sitting there, it does give you a buzz.

"I imagine it will feel strange, but then it’s a bit like a rehearsal. When you do a rehearsal, there isn’t an audience so that pressure isn’t really there because no ones really watching.

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

"It has pros and cons but personally I think you need that live element because having a proper audience is the best feeling. But all the shows just have to be safe now.

"If you want it to go ahead, you just have to be safe."

The pair are set to take over Kiss radio's breakfast show, meaning they'll be on the air from 6am.

Perri explained how the move came about: "We just wanted to try something different and instantly fell in love with it.

"We started on Sundays, then moved to Saturday morning breakfast, and it’s always been the dream to do the breakfast show, and now we’re here and it feels completely surreal."

Jordan added: "There is a lot of pressure to it but there’s also a side of it where we are coming in from a different point of view.

"We’re not born and raised in the radio world and we’ve learnt as we’ve gone and adapted our relationship to fit on air which has been wicked."

Kiss Breakfast with Jordan and Perri launches on Monday, 3 August.


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