Sir Steve Redgrave has opened up about the health conditions which may impact his performance on Dancing On Ice (Picture: ITV)
Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave has shared his diabetes and a condition affecting his hands could impact his performance on Dancing On Ice.
The former athlete, 62, who has five Olympic gold medals to his name, is among a slew of famous faces who will take to the ice when the ITV show returns this weekend.
He’s joining the likes of Ferne McCann, The Traitors star Mollie Pearce, and EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks on the competition, as Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern return as hosts and Olympic legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean lead the judging panel with Ashley Banjo and Oti Mabuse.
Discussing his decision to take part, Sir Steve said: ‘I’ve never had the opportunity before as my diary was always so packed due to my training.
‘The other reason is because earlier this year Chris and Jayne celebrated their 40th anniversary of them winning in Sarajevo (at the Winter Olympics) and it’s my 40th anniversary as well.
‘The show asked me to record a segment for Chris and Jayne and what they mean to British sport, both then and now, and at the end of it I said “I suppose you’re going to try and get me on the show now” and here I am.’
Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve has diabetes and suffers from dupuytren’s contracture (Picture: Paul Harding/Getty Images for The National Lottery)
Sir Steve, who won his first Olympic gold medal more than 40 years ago in the coxed fours in the 1984 Los Angeles Games, went on to talk about his health conditions affecting his performance.
Reflecting on what he was most nervous about, he said: ‘I’ve been diabetic for almost 30 years so the sensation in my feet isn’t as good as what it used to be so navigating my footing on the ice could be a problem.
‘I also have dupuytren’s contracture which affects my hands, meaning I can’t make them flat. So if I do fall over, although I’m planning not to, it means I may have trouble getting up.’
Dupuytren’s contracture is when one or more fingers bend in towards the palm and although it is not usually painful, it tends to get slowly worse over time, according to the NHS website.
Sir Steve said he may have trouble getting up from the ice if he falls over due to a condition in his hands (Picture: Geoffrey Swaine/Shutterstock)
Sir Steve previously joked that his friends had thought his stint on Dancing On Ice was ‘a mid-life crisis’, quipping: ‘But I’m too old for a mid-life crisis, I’m far past that age.’
Meanwhile, Towie star Ferne said she was left ‘scarred’ after her first skating experience when she was seven-years-old.
‘My first ever experience on the ice wasn’t great and left me scarred and the first time I ever went to A&E and got stitches,’ she said.
‘I went to an ice-skating party when I was seven and this boy skated into me and his skate went into my leg, but I love that story because like anything in my life, I get back up and here we are.’
The full line-up for Dancing On Ice this year includes Dan Edgar, Mollie Pearce, Anton Ferdinand, Chelsee Healey, Sam Aston, Charlie Brooks, Chris Taylor, Michaela Strachan, Sir Steve, Ferne McCann and Josh Jones (Picture: ITV)
She also said that her daughter Sunday ‘is very protective and is worried about me falling over’ but added that she thinks she will ‘love watching me on the ice’.
Also taking part in the show are reality stars Dan Edgar and Chris Taylor, and Hollyoaks actor Chelsee Healey.
Completing the line-up is presenter Michaela Strachan, comedian Josh Jones, former Premier League defender Anton Ferdinand, and soap star Sam Aston.
In December, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey said she was ‘absolutely gutted’ when she announced her withdrawal from the competition after fracturing her ankle.
Soap star Ryan Thomas and his professional skating partner Amani Fancy won last year’s Dancing On Ice.
Dancing on Ice returns on Sunday, January 12 at 6.30pm, live on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
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