Dancing on Ice 2009This year’s Dancing on Ice line-up has been revealed ahead of the start of the competition at the weekend.

The contestants are the usual mix of soap stars (Emmerdale’s Roxanne Pallett, Eastenders‘ Gemma Bissix, former Eastenders star Todd Carty and Hollyoaks Jeremy Edwards), TV presenters (Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan and Blue Peter’s Zoe Salmon), former sports people (former footballer Graeme Le Saux and former rugby star Ellery Hanley) and one time pop stars (Liberty X’s Jessica Taylor).

The line-up also includes glamour model Melinda Messenger, investigative journalist Donal Macintyre and X Factor 2006 finalist Ray Quinn. GMTV’s Michael Underwood will also return for a second shot at the competition after having to drop out of the last series after breaking his ankle.

He explained he’s a bit worried about signing up for the show again: “Having to leave the last series from injury has made me more nervous. I’ve got a piece of metal in my ankle. It niggles like a little reminder the whole time.”

Meanwhile Jessica Taylor’s biggest worry is failure: “I’m not worried about the [skimpy, sexy] costumes, I wore PVC rubber suits and bikinis in Liberty X, nothing can be worse than that. I’m worried about being sent home in week one.”

Coleen Nolan said she thinks she’s going to be a unique challenge for the costume department: “It’s weird for me as, when I started watching Dancing on Ice, I was a size 20, thinking ‘God, I could never do that’. And now, here I am being lifted as a size 10 and it’s just amazing.

“I’ve lost a lot of weight but I’m still a 36GG. Bless the wardrobe department for trying to cover me up - they’ve had to draft in more material.”

Melinda Messenger also expects to be a challenge for the wardrobe team: “Being flung around in a low-cut outfit is slightly daunting - hopefully I will get a nice strong support lock-’em-in-and-lock-’em-down bra. I keep thinking ‘God will everything stay in?’”

But Ray Quinn, who finished in second place to Leona Lewis on the talent show, said he can’t wait to indulge in the spectacle of the show: “Give me pink and give me diamonds and I’m glamorous, baby. Call me Jordan - I’m up for all that. I’ve had a couple of spray tans in the past - I’m no stranger to that.”

Last year’s competition was won by former Hear’Say star Suzanne Shaw. This year’s show starts on ITV1 this Saturday.

  • See Suzanne’s winning dance - her flying dance - from last year’s final below