Didi Conn, 67, reveals the emotional reason she signed up for Dancing On Ice
7 January 2019, 11:40 | Updated: 7 January 2019, 12:22
Grease legend Didi has revealed this huge reason that spurred her decision to join the ITV skating show.
Dancing On Ice burst back onto screens last night and saw celebrity contestants including TOWIE star Gemma Collins, 37, and Grease icon Didi Conn, 67.
The actress - who played the role of Frenchie in the legendary musical film - is the oldest contestant out of this year's celebs and has revealed why she decided to sign up.
Read more: Dancing On Ice accused of 'fix' allegations over James Jordan's high scores
Speaking at the launch of the show at the Natural History Museum back in December she revealed her reasons for swapping her dancing shoes for ice skates.
She said: "It was a challenge! Something that i thought 'Gee I really would like to try!' but I was a little bit frightened.
"I've never ice skated, my early memories were of being little with my dad but back then I was very small and close to the ice! It just seemed like a challenge and I thought 'I love England, I love London - why not.'"
She also explained that she thought it would be a good way to find herself after years of caring for her 26-year-old son Danny who has autism.
She said: "I have a son who has special needs and he is now living on a farm and working there and this has given me a time in my life to find out who is 'Didi Didi' not 'Didi Mommy!'"
"So this a great way to start diving into this new part of my life."
Didi performed her first skating routine with partner Łukasz Różycki to the song We Go Together from Grease but faced some harsh criticism from judge Jason Gardiner.
Many fans leapt to defend Didi from the comments on Twitter and many branded Jason 'horrible' for his critique.
Jason is one of the trolls Matt is talking about! Disgraceful comments from him to an icon who is Didi Conn. She is an absolute lady and he accuses her on dining out on the film Grease. Rude and arrogant and very disrespectful to an older lady #dancingonice
— Geraldine Goodliffe (@GeraldineGoodl2) January 6, 2019
I’d like Jason to do that at 67! Didi Conn is very down to earth #DOI
— Matt Green (@MGrizzle5762) January 6, 2019
Despite Jason's opinions Didi made it through without ending up in the dreaded 'skate off', a position that Neighbours star Mark Little has landed themselves in.
Next week it is the turn of Wes Nelson, Brian McFadden, Melody Thornton, Ryan Sidebottom, Saira Khan and Richard Blackwood will perform their routines.
