Perri Shakes-Drayton has become the latest celebrity to sign up to ‘Dancing on Ice’.
The 28-year-old track and field athlete – who competes in the 400 metres hurdles and the 400 metres sprint – has agreed to slip into a pair of skates for the forthcoming series of the skating show when it hits television screens early next year.
Taking to her Instagram account, she said: Finally…I can let the cat out the bag. IT’S OFFICIAL I’m going to be on DANCING ON ICE
Oh yes I will be putting the skates on. So grateful for this opportunity. Glad my body can allow for me to do an activity that I thought I’d never be able to do again. I’m going to enjoy the journey. It’s a new challenge, I’m up for it and course I’m looking forward to the glamorous outfits. Bring it on #dancingonice #itv #ice #television (sic)"
But the brunette beauty is no doubt hoping that she will finish the series injury free as she’s only just got her sporting career back on track after she underwent surgery on her left knee in 2013 which, at some points, made her doubt whether she’d ever run again.
She said recently: "I never once wanted to give up, but there was a point when I stopped asking myself if I would run again.
"I never seemed to reach any of my recovery deadlines. That was very annoying."
Perri will join the likes of cricketer Monty Panesar, rugby hunk Max Evans, Coronation Street’s Brooke Vincent, Jake Quickenden, Love Island’s Kem Cetinay, Great British Bake Off’s Candice Brown and Bucks Fizz’s Cheryl Baker on the ice in January.
More celebrities will be announced in due course but, for now, it’s been confirmed that acid-tongue Australian Jason Gardiner has reclaimed his position on the judging panel alongside Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean – who previously mentored the contestants but have now switched positions – and Diversity dancer Ashley Banjo.
And it looks like there will be some animosity on the panel as Ashley is adamant he won’t allow Jason to "bully" him and will give as good as he gets.
He said: "I can imagine us clashing. Do I look like I can be bullied? No chance. I’m going to have to start thinking of witty one-liners. Jason is very good at that. He is the king of the one-liners, let’s hope he’s not lost it."
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield will return as hosts.
Perri Shakes-Drayton signs up to Dancing on Ice
