Dancing on Ice signs former Coronation Street star after his brother performs in rival show
DANCING On Ice has signed up ex soap star Ryan Thomas, the Sun on Sunday can reveal.
Former Coronation Street favourite Ryan, 39, is preparing to start training for the ITV show which airs in January.
A telly source said: “Bosses are hugely excited to sign Ryan as he’ll bring with him an army of soap fans and celeb mates who’ll dutifully want to tune in and see how he fares on the ice.
“He has a big personality so will make a cracking reality TV. Ryan is looking forward to the challenge of doing something different.”
Ryan, who is engaged to Towie’s Lucy Mecklenburgh, 32, left his role as Jason Grimshaw on the cobbles in 2016.
His younger brother Adam, 35, is currently competing on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing.
In 2018 Ryan appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and was involved in a furore when ex-Emmerdale star Roxanne Pallett falsely accused him of assaulting her, she was forced to apologise after Ofcom received 25,000 calls.
Last week ITV confirmed that iconic boxer Ricky ‘The hitman’ Hatton, 44, ex-S Club 7 singer Hannah Spearritt, 42, Love Island winner Amber Davies, 26, and actress Claire Sweeney, 52, would all be taking part.
An ITV spokeswoman said: “Any names are speculative as we’ve yet to announce our lineup.”