GRAHAM BELL was knocked out of Dancing on Ice in only the third 7 days of the competition.
The 5-time GB Olympic skier, of New Avenue, Henley, was placed joint sixth out of nine contestants in Sunday’s episode of the ITV show.
He and his skilled partner Karina Manta danced a Fifties-themed regimen established to Born To Hand Jive from the musical Grease.
But the pair unsuccessful to secure more than enough votes from viewers to stay clear of the “skate-off”, which they then shed as the judges decided to keep model Rebekah Vardy and her associate Andy Buchanan in the demonstrate.
Bell, 55, wouldn’t comment on the judges’ conclusion later on but reported: “I feel any one who watched it can make up their very own minds.”
The display was themed all around musicals and opened with actor and decide John Barrowman singing When I Get My Name In Lights from Legs Diamond.
For their program, Bell wore a black leather-based jacket and trousers with slicked-back again hair to resemble Danny Zuko, the foremost male in Grease, although Manta was dressed as his enjoy interest Sandy in a frilly knee-length pink skirt. Ahead of their overall performance, viewers were demonstrated highlights from the past week’s program, which was themed close to skiing and set to the topic tune of the BBC’s Ski Sunday, which Bell offers.
There was also a brief clip from rehearsals in which Bell admitted: “When I arrived into this I was anxious about my ‘dad dancing’ and now I have received to match John Travolta.”
He was also viewed posing in character in the mirror and getting teased by rival and fellow GB Olympian Colin Jackson, who reported: “Nice moves, fella.”
Bell and Manta opened with a number of spins just before he lifted and carried her in his arms as she executed hand-jive motions.
They spun about every other quite a few periods then danced in direction of the camera, repeating the hand moves.
Bell picked up Manta and carried her on his shoulders as she stretched her arms out wide and the pair completed with him posing with just one arm in the air and yet another on his hip.
Judges awarded them 25 points and repeated their criticism of the past 7 days that the couple hadn’t set plenty of emotion into their regimen.
In a nod to the show’s tune Greased Lightnin’, Bell instructed the panel: “I assumed it was automated, it was systematic, it was hydromatic. I beloved it — you really don’t get to do this every single day and it was amazing.”
He stated he and Manta’s next regimen would be themed all around Olympic ice dance champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who are both judges.
He stated: “We’ve been studying a few of British dancers who ended up at the very same Olympics as me in 1984. This week I was Danny Zuko but upcoming week I’ll be Christopher Dean — people are some big sneakers to fill.”
Torvill claimed: “For this schedule, you had been in and out of character and frequently on two feet while previous week’s plan experienced more articles and modifications of keep. I’d like to see much more of that.” Dean claimed: “The dancing isn’t inside your ease and comfort zone, although you gave it a great go… you in essence skated forwards and backwards with some things in in between and I believe you can do some more intricate skating.”
Barrowman stated: “Your characterisation was location on… but I want to see extra pizzazz and it is up to Karina to provide that out of Graham.”
Ashley Banjo, a dancer, mentioned: “You’re a good skater and it was a sound efficiency but there are times where it feels a little bit flat and you could have a lot more character in how you choreograph and interpret the songs.” Vardy and Buchanan, who also acquired 25 points with a regime set to Let us Confront The Audio And Dance from Abide by The Fleet, were 1st in the skate-off with a piece set to My Daily life Would Suck With out You by Kelly Clarkson.
Bell and Manta’s routine was set to Lots of of Horror by Biffy Clyro and finished with Bell skating in direction of his associate at speed and sweeping her off the ground.
He had a tear in his eye later on and informed judges: “I really like that song. I feel we gave it anything, with a whole lot of heart.”
Even so, the judges explained they “connected” extra with Vardy’s performance and she experienced designed a bigger hard work to increase so would be going via.
Some admirers criticised the conclusion on social media, declaring Vardy spent significantly of her skate-off getting lifted by her husband or wife and even appeared to stumble whilst executing one particular lift.
Manta told viewers: “I’ve definitely loved it and have been extremely impressed with Graham as he has not been skating very long but has definitely been up for it and embraced the obstacle.”
Bell, who lives with his wife Sarah and little ones Louis and Lottie, explained to the Henley Normal that it was “disappointing” to go out so early in the demonstrate as he was hoping to be reunited with his primary husband or wife, Yebin Mok.
She was wounded shortly just before the opening 7 days when she minimize her shin on Bell’s blade but continued to mentor him and Manta, a fellow American who was brought in as a alternative.
Bell said he experienced savored learning to skate and would hold it up as it made use of several of the exact same muscles as snowboarding.
He reported: “I liked the schooling hugely, additional so than the real competitors.
“It’s a shame it is more than as Karina and I assumed we experienced some good, specialized skating however to come.
“We had been operating on a go encouraged by Torvill and Dean where I’d be skating backwards with my leg lifted and Karina lying on it. It was excellent but we’ll by no means get to show it.
“My trouble now is that it seems like the ski season’s in excess of for the wintertime. My next major job was going to be the summer season Olympics at Tokyo but which is not hunting good possibly.
“I’m not likely to get also depressed and will just have to lock down like every person else. I’m searching ahead to holding the skating up mainly because it has actually helped with the modest bit of snowboarding that I have been capable to do these days.”
Bell had in no way skated in advance of, apart from a several brief makes an attempt as a little one, and was helped together the way by salsa dance instructor Jennifer Benavidez, from Shiplake, and Athlete Provider, of Greys Road in Henley.
This was his initially time as a actuality Tv contestant, despite the fact that he was a mentor in Channel 4’s The Bounce.