Olympian Kye Whyte joins Dancing On Ice contestant line-up
The BMX rider made history at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Olympic BMX rider Kye Whyte has been announced as the latest celebrity to join Dancing On Ice.
He won Britain’s first ever BMX Olympic medal with a silver at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the summer.
The 22-year-old joins the already announced line-up of Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor, Happy Mondays dancer Bez and Paralympian Stef Reid.
Love Island’s Liberty Poole, rugby star Ben Foden, Paul Gascoigne’s son Regan Gascoigne, pop star Rachel Stevens and professional dancer Brendan Cole will also be taking to the ice.
Whyte announced the news on CBBC’s Newsround on Wednesday morning, saying: “I’m feeling good.”
Asked if he had ever skated, he said: “I have (roller-skated) when I was younger so we’ll see how it goes.”
He added: “When I did the audition I kind of related it to roller-skating so I think I did pretty well… I think the thing I’m really confident about is I don’t really mind if I fall, I’m quite fearless.”
Moments after the BMX racer won his historic medal, Britain’s Bethany Shriever took gold in the women’s BMX racing final.
Whyte then created a memorable moment by picking Shriever up as they celebrated their success together.
Whyte said: “I think I can win Dancing On Ice.
“I’d love to see if I can make the final because, as I said, I’m very competitive.
“You know what? I want to make the final!”
However, he did admit he is less confident about learning the routines.
“The picking up and stuff I’m not too worried about. As long as I do my gym properly I should be all right,” he said.
“It’s the routines – I’m very forgetful! So, yeah, that’s what I’m a bit wary of.”
The BMX star said he only had to keep the secret of his appearance on the ice-skating competition for “three or four weeks” as he believes he was the last person to be selected.
He added: “I was not told not to tell anyone and I’ve been waiting for the big reveal!
“My family knows. My dad and my brother roller-skate so I think they’re excited.”
Dancing On Ice will return to ITV in the new year with 12 celebrities taking to the rink to impress the viewing public and judging panel.
However, John Barrowman, who joined the judging panel in 2019, will not be returning.
Earlier this year, he admitted exposing himself to colleagues.
The actor said he had taken part in “tomfoolery” on the sets of BBC shows Doctor Who and Torchwood.
