Tuesday, 8 January 2008

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SEE VIDEO Dancing On Ice stars announced

Gareth Gates and Linda Lusardi will get their skates on for ITV show

Gareth Gates and Linda Lusardi are just two of the stars that will appear in the news series of Dancing On Ice.

The 12 contestants were officially unveiled yesterday – and they include some suprising names.

Ex-Olympic champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean will help them with their moves.

Pop Idol winner Gareth, 23 – who has just got engaged - will be joined by ex-Page 3 girl turned actress Linda, 49, Prince Harry’s ‘pal’ Natalie Pinkham, 29, and 52-year-old How Clean Is Your House? star Aggie Mackenzie, who is the oldest contestant.

Hollyoaks star Chris Fountain, 20, will try to outskate Irish teen singer Samantha Mumba, now 24, and Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw, 26.

Former children’s TV presenter Sarah Greene, 47, Michael Underwood, 32, ex-Blue Peter star Tim Vincent, 35, and athletes Steve Backley, 38, and Greg Rusedski, 34, round up the dozen.

And some of the stars have already injured themselves in training sessions. Linda has broken her foot, while Samantha has torn ligaments.

‘It was my second lesson on the ice and I slipped and cracked a metatarsal,’ Linda tells the Daily Mirror. ‘I have missed 6 weeks. I have 40 per cent less motion in that foot. One slip and that will be it.’

Last year, rugby hunk Kyran Bracken was crowned champion.

Dancing On Ice - hosted by Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby - starts this Sunday at 5.50pm on ITV1.

See our photo gallery of all the Dancing On Ice stars>>

The full list of contestants

Gareth Gates (singer)
Skating partner - Maria Filippov

Suzanne Shaw (actress)
Partner - Matt Evers

Tim Vincent (TV presenter)
Partner - Victoria Borzenkova

Sarah Greene (TV presenter)
Partner - Fred Palascak

Michael Underwood (TV presenter)
Partner - Melanie Lambert

Linda Lusardi (actress)
Partner - Dan Whiston

Samantha Mumba (singer)
Partner - Pavel Aubrecht

Chris Fountain (actor)
Partner - Frankie Poultney

Natalie Pinkham (TV presenter)
Partner - Andre Lipanov

Greg Rusedski (ex-tennis star)
Partner - Kristina Lenko

Aggie Mackenzie (TV presenter)
Partner - Sergey Malyshev

Steve Backley (athlete)
Partner - Susie Lipanova

See Kyran Bracken on Dancing On Ice in this video…

Gareth Gates announces engagement to older woman>>