Dancing on Ice

In a sea of reality shows that I don't touch with a barge pole, this offering seems to be just another - the celebrities, the judges, the voting. All the same really.

However a main difference for me was that I wanted to watch it. Every week, for the whole three series, I have watched religiously, replaying the truly amazing routines and even now I am returning from the live tour 2008 having had a wonderful time last year at their first run! But why doesn't the x-factor catch my attention like this show? Why am I not running down to see Strictly Come Dancing? Why Dancing on Ice? Amongst the many reasons this show is so good (mainly the professionalism of the whole production) I personally acknowledge Torvill and Dean. Two of the UKs best skaters, who make the act of sliding on a sharp blade look like a walk in the park, their routines are mesmerising. Their attitude towards all the stars are of doting parents, supporting them every step of the way. They are the backbone of this programme and THE most professional and talented people I have seen in years. It's inspiring.

The team of professional skaters they have assembled and the coaches (inc. Karen Barber) are fantastic. Their goal is simple - to prove that anyone can skate and they are going to teach them.

You truly believe at the end of the well choreographed series the true prize is not the trophy - it's learning this amazing skill. I hope I can too!

I saw it as show especially for fans of ice skating. Provocative, no doubts, seductive, interesting for emotions, costumes, jury decisions. But the format is only nuanced by other TV shows, the presence of stars has only the role for high level of audience, the judgment seems , in few occasions, profound subjective.

Short, a TV show. Like so many others.

Yet another fix so upset tonight that Eddie was voted off Eddie skated on his own Amber yet again as usual won't let go of skaters hand no skating on her own just gets tossed about by the professional skater bored now she should have gone home not Eddie Mods were better than the rockers but because its the Adele show they let them win another fix Adele will win because of illness and sympathy vote but I won't know as will not watch again due to fixed voting Glad Ashley banjo has gone he knows nothing just a street dance troupe at Butlins Eddie you were the best we loved watching you every week in fact we looked forward to watching your routines so sorry you were booted out too good for this show.

You really have to commend whoever it is at ITV who comes up with new programme ideas. It must take a lot of imagination to turn to the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and then come up with a completely undetectable fresh slant on the format. It is a bit like their recent take on the Dragon's Den, even featuring one of the same entrepreneurs to make it even more subtle.

Of course like almost every television show these days it has to feature 'celebrities' who hardly anyone has ever heard heard of. The latest line-up has just been revealed and what a surprise. Tom Cruise? No. Halle Berry? No. David Beckham? No. Lisa Scott-Lee (Steps), Stephen Gately (Boyzone) and Duncan Something or other (Blue)? Yes. Singers whose solo career has hardly been record-breaking, indeed they would probably have to buy several hundred of their own singles just to get into the charts at all. Then there is the newsreaders, the obligatory soap star, the even more obligatory Ulrika Jonsson and some others who struggle to get on TV by their own merit.

That is my only really major problem. The rest of the show is great if you like watching or performing ice skating and it is certainly not much worse than the BBC dancing show, though there was far too much carrying of certain skaters in the last series (e.g. Bonnie Langford) that takes away a little of the credibility. I just don't know why they can't create this sort of talent programme using 'ordinary' people. The public voting is often unfair as they are probably more likely to vote for participants they have heard of (if any). "Stars in their Eyes" used to score high in the rating without resorting (apart from specials) to the increasing number of z-listers there are out there, especially created it seems to appear in 'reality' TV. I simply cannot understand why if these people are apparently so popular they need to appear on these shows. I suppose you must give the participants some credit for doing something that requires skill, dedication and significant physical risk compared to sitting around in a house, on an island or in the jungle - all moaning and swearing. Overall though this means that yet again we fail to get any break in the schedules between 'celebrity' this and 'celebrity' that as by the time 'Celebrity Big Brother' is finished we will be onto another series of 'Dancing on Ice.' Have the producers no pity?

Dancing on ice when it started was something a bit different. Two legendary Olympic skaters in Torvil and Dean training celebs to ice skate made for an interesting premise.

Now however after seven series you can't help but thinking this premise has run it's course. The celebs are getting more and more Z-list by the minute and all the tricks have been seen before. Even the changes to the judging panel haven't really boosted things. The first few series were entertaining because everything was fresh and new but now the rot has set in a little bit and unless ITV do something major to ramp up the interest or pay big money to get big name stars I can see the shows popularity waning further.