Olga Sharutenko insists that, when it comes to courage, her former Dancing On Ice partner Keith Chegwin is in a league of his own.
The Russian beauty says this despite the grit, determination and world-class talent needed in order to win the 30 medals she was awarded during her competitive figure skating career.
Telly favourite Cheggers fractured a shoulder and broke three ribs on the first day of rehearsals for the 2011 series. But the gutsy presenter was determined to come back and partner Olga for this year’s series of the ITV1 show.
“I thought it was great,” reveals the former World Junior Champion. “I don’t know if I could do the same after such an injury. I’m very lucky never to have broken anything in my career. I asked Keith if he was scared but he said he really wanted to do it.”
Viewers saw Olga steer Keith through an impressive seven-week run on this year’s Dancing On Ice. “Keith was very proud,” she says, “as was I.”
Olga, who began skating when she was just six years old, is visiting Scotland next month with The Imperial Ice Stars. The award-winning Russian skaters are bringing their production of Sleeping Beauty to Glasgow’s Theatre Royal and it has a special place in Olga’s heart since it was her first show with the company after it was founded in 2003. “We didn’t know if it would be successful or not,” she remembers, “but it was everything we wanted and hoped for.” Touring the UK with Sleeping Beauty On Ice is, insists Olga worth the three-hour daily training sessions she puts in.
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