Olympic medal winning rower Sir Steve Redgrave is getting ready to skate on Dancing on Ice despite health conditions and injuries that could make his time on the show perilous
Sir Steve Redgrave has revealed that his list of injuries continues to grow ahead of Dancing on Ice – with producers worrying whether he’ll make it to the live show.
The retired athlete is the most successful male rower in Olympic history, taking home five gold medals at consecutive games from 1984 to 2000. Hailed as one of Britain’s greatest Olympians ever, the 62-year-old won over 16 golds at World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics before retiring in 2000. Despite his sporting achievements, the Marlow-born athlete is struggling with a number of health conditions and injuries as he trains for Dancing on Ice with professional skater Vicky Ogden.
“I have colitis, I’m a diabetic. I have a frozen shoulder,” he said. “I had a fall on the third day, which irritated the shoulder and there were a lot of things we couldn’t do.” Steve also struggles with Dupuytren’s contracture, which causes his fingers to curl towards his palm, and left producers panicking after picking up another injury.
“I pulled a hip flexor so that’s all in the first few weeks,” he explained. “I think the production team got very nervous. They were saying, ‘We’ve got to wrap him up in cotton wool. We’ve got to get him to the show.’ And here we are.” He added: “We’ve been given all the protective gear but no, I haven’t put it on at all.”
Steve has various health issues to consider on the show (
Image:
ITV)
Sir Steve learnt that he suffered from ulcerative colitis shortly before winning his third Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona games. Just five years and another gold medal later, the rower was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which impacts the sensation in his feet.
Despite his worrying health conditions, the former rower said his family aren’t too concerned by his ice skating antics. “They’re used to me doing nutty things,” said Steve, who shares kids Natalie, Sophie and Zak with wife Lady Ann Redgrave. “They think I’m absolutely crazy doing this but they’re quite excited about it. Some of the other celebs have young kids but my kids have their own kids. My eldest is a plastic surgeon in Swansea – she has an 18-months-old child so I’m not quite sure if she’ll be able to watch me.”
Sir Steve will be competing against EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks, footballer Anton Ferdinand, The Traitors’ Mollie Pearce, TV presenter Michaela Strachan and other stars throughout the series, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern. However, he admitted that he may become overwhelmed on the ice when he spots his elderly mother Sheila in the Dancing on Ice audience after she cheered him on throughout his rowing career. “My mother is still with us. She’s 93 and we’re trying to get her to one of the shows,” he said.
Steve towers over dance partner Vicky Ogden (
ITV)
“That will be too emotional for me to see her in the crowd from that point of view. She was my greatest supporter when I was rowing and competing. She travelled around the world to watch me.” He added: “I know that she would love to be here, but in some ways, I hope she is watching on TV.”
While Sir Steve is one of Britain’s greatest sportsmen, he is the bookies’ favourite to leave the competition first – but it hasn’t stopped him from dreaming of winning. “I don’t think the bug to win ever leaves you,” he said. “Certainly in my deepest dreams – and it has to be a deepest dream of thinking that I’ve got a chance of winning this.”
“The William Hill odds of a 66/1 win came out last week and they’re at a very different level to where I need to be if we’re going to take the crown. But it’s an entertainment programme and I think that our first routine will put smiles on people’s faces and make them feel good. Hopefully they’ll pick up the phone and vote for me.”
The Olympic medal winner is one of 11 celebrities taking part this year (
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PA)Sir Steve is the oldest contestant in this year’s series and the oldest man to compete in the show’s history, but he’s also likely to be the tallest with a height of six foot three. In fact, the ex-rower’s Dancing on Ice partner Vicky, 40, told Sir Steve to let go of her during a lift if he feels unstable – to avoid him falling onto her. “I love lifting. We do lots of lifts off the ice,” he said. “Vicky says, ‘If you feel unstable, let go of me.’” Vicky added: “There is a little bit of a height and weight difference.”
The Dancing on Ice contestant was hoping to shed a few pounds during the competition, but admitted that he’s yet to do so. “I was hoping I would lose weight but that hasn’t happened,” he admitted. “Chrirstopher Dean says, ‘Muscle is heavier than fat.’ I’m not quite sure that is the case.”
“Physically, I haven’t found the competition that demanding. That may show the level that I’m at. I was expecting it to be more physical than it has been but it’s more skills-based. That’s been the struggle.”As for how he feels about sequins and glitter, Steve is ready for a challenge. “Knowing our music and the theme to it, I have an idea of what I might be wearing,” he said. “Hopefully lots of sequins. I want to be out of my comfort zone. I’m certain out of my comfort zone with skates on my feet so let’s make it the full show.”
