Comedian survives a second Dancing On Ice skate-off

Lou Sanders and her professional partner  Brendyn Hatfield danced a slow romantic routine  to What a Wonderful World by Eva Cassidy

The comedian scored three 6.0s and one 6.5 for the dance, totalling 24.5 out of 40, leaving them eighth out of the ten couples still left in the competition.

Host Stephen Mulhern pointed it that it was again a better score than the previous week - when they notched up 22.5 -  adding: ‘It was lovely seeing you do a routine like this. Very nice and you look great as well.’

Combined with viewers’ votes, Sanders found herself in the skate-off for the second time – and again survived, with soap star Claire Sweeney being sent home by judges.

The actress had suffered an injury this week, and explained before her dance: ‘So I've had a niggling problem with my rib all week. The physio checked me out this morning and she said it's a sprained rib. Because of the rib injury we've had to make a last minute change to the routine.’

During the  ITV1 show, Sanders was asked by the hosts what the  atmosphere backstage was like, and replied with one word: ‘Toxic’ – a typically sardonic response defying the usually upbeat nature of such interviews.   

Next week - movie week – two couples will be eliminated.

• Lou Sanders is taking part in the Chortle Comedy Book Festival at the British Library in London on March 3. Day tickets are available here. 

Published: 4 Feb 2024