Dancing on Ice’s Max Evans has had to change dance partners ahead of this weekend’s live show.
The professional rugby player has been one of the front runners in the competition since it kicked off last month, but his future on the show has been thrown into jeopardy after he was forced to partner up with Brandee Malto after his usual partner Ale Izquierdo was struck down with the flu.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "He is going to have to get to know his new partner Brandee’s style of skating and a whole routine in quick time. It is going to put a lot of pressure on him."
It’s no doubt a huge blow for the 34-year-old sportsman as him and Ale have been through a lot together as he accidentally dropped her on her head a few weeks back, was in the dreaded skate off last weekend and has been forced to play down speculation that they attracted to one another.
He said recently of Ale: "She’s kind of bordering on mad when it comes to having the trust in me with some of the lifts that she wants to do. And almost it’s me that has to be like ‘Ale – I’m still a beginner skater, I won’t be able to do this come Sunday.’ – We learnt that almost the hard way in our ‘Re-light My Fire’ routine when I almost messed up one of the lifts live on the Sunday night."
And, although he’s become a national favourite, Max doesn’t think he’ll win the show and is convinced Coronation Street’s Brooke Vincent will lift the trophy at the end.
He explained: "I’d say one of the dark horses to keep your eye on in Brooke. I’ve noticed she’s got some skating ability. She potentially has the ability to go quite far.
"I’m not allowed to bet, but at one point I saw she was 10-1 and I thought that’s a pretty good bet having the inside track! But you didn’t hear it from me!"
Dancing on Ice’s Max Evans has to change partners ahead of live show
