Dancing on Ice returns to ITV this weekend with a brand new line-up (Image: PA)
Sir Steve Redgrave, one of Britain’s most exceptional heroes, fears that the challenge of could be his most formidable yet.
Despite grabbing gold across five consecutive Olympics, starting in 1984, the rowing legend expressed concerns about entering the ice-skating contest at the age of 62.
“I’m starting from a very low level, probably lower than everybody else due to my age,” he confessed. “I don’t bounce as much as I used to.”
Standing tall at 6ft 5in, Sir Steve, who has three adult children with his wife Lady Ann and now basks in the joys of grandfatherhood, has revealed just how eager his family and mates are to witness his latest exploit: theyre clamouring for seats at the show.
Chuckling, he remarked: “They all want tickets for show one, I don’t think any of them are holding much hope for show nine.”
But the challenges are not just physical. The sporting icon must also tackle health issues including a long-standing battle with diabetes that could affect his performance on the ice, reports .
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Steve Redgrave is taking to the ice rink at the age of 62 (Image: ITV)
“I’ve been diabetic for almost thirty years so the sensation in my feet isn’t as good as it used to be – navigating my footing on the ice could be a problem,” he noted.
Compounding these difficulties is his battle with Dupuytren’s contracture, a hand condition preventing him from flattening his handspotentially complicating his recovery from falls on the ice, although falling is certainly not part of his plan.
Reflecting on past disclosures, Sir Steve admitted: “My knees and shoulders are shot. I’ve got arthritis. You name it, I’ve got it.”
Yet, Sir Steve reveals that his competitive flame still burns: “To be able to call myself a skater and do crossovers both forwards and backwards would be an excellent place to get to. I’d say speed isn’t my issue but style will be.”
Diagnosed with type-2 diabetes at the age of 36, just two years before he retired in 2000, Sir Steve Redgrave, shared that figure skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean convinced him to participate in Dancing on Ice.
Reflecting on significant anniversaries, he recalled: “Earlier this year Chris and Jane celebrated their 40th anniversary of them winning in Sarajevo and it’s my 40th anniversary as well. The show asked me to record a segment for Chris and Jane – and at the end of it I said ‘I suppose you’re going to try and get me on the show now?’ And here I am.”
Cast of Dancing on Ice 2025 includes a number of soap stars (Image: PA)
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The opportunity might also offer welcome financial respite for the Olympian, who has voiced concerns about his monetary struggles despite a highly decorated career.
Speaking back in 2015, Sir Steve lamented: “People think a five-times Olympic gold medallist is financially secure. Unfortunately, there’s no gold in the gold medals. Rowing is a training sport and not really a racing one; we race only five or six times a year. There’s no prize money. There’s no appearance money. When you’re training for 49 weeks a year to get to the level you need to be at, you don’t really have an income.”
Last year, he was surprisingly not enlisted by the to present the Olympic rowing coverage alongside his former rowing partner Matthew Pinsent, despite having done so in the past.
Fellow contestant Michaela Strachan, who resides with her family in South Africa, expressed her delight at joining Dancing on Ice as it coincides with her son’s move to the UK for his studies.
Despite her fear of potential injuries, the Springwatch star stated: “This is the best year for me to be doing Dancing On Ice so the positives outweigh the few worries. It’s a huge commitment and a lot of time away from home – but this year my son is moving to the UK for university so I’m glad that I’ll be closer to him than if I was home in South Africa.”
She revealed that she had prepared for the series by considering all possible mishaps. “My partner is extremely concerned that I’m going to injure myself. The first thing we did when I was asked to do the show was watch the accidents on YouTube which, is probably the worst thing to do.”
Having honed her skills in musical theatre and having competed in ITV’s high-dive show Splash, the TV personality is eager to dazzle on the ice, sharing that she isn’t a complete novice: “My mother went through a phase where she used to do something fitness related every Friday. One of her phases was ice skating lessons at Richmond rink and in the holidays we would go with her – so we probably did it more than the average child, but it was many moons ago.”
Joining the line-up are several stars including ex-footballer Anton Ferdinand, 39; TOWIE celebrities Dan Edgar and Ferne McCann, both 34; The Traitors’ young star Mollie Pearce, 22; famed Charlie Brooks, 43; Love Island’s Chris Taylor, 34; Waterloo Road’s Chelsee Healy, 36; ‘s Sam Aston, 31 and the comedic talent Josh Jones, aged 32.
Dancing on Ice returns on ITV on Saturday January 12 at 6.30pm.