Greg Rutherford has admitted that watching Dancing On Ice still gives him the chills – nine months after his horror injury on the ITV skating show.
Last year the Olympic gold-winning long jumper, 38, was forced to leave the competition just hours before the final after he tore his two abdominal muscles and needed major surgery.
Now as the new series kick-started Greg revealed he is ‘nervous’ watching the celebrities competing after being left in serious ‘pain’ while skating last year.
He told The Mirror: ‘I am a bit nervous watching. You never know if you catch an edge wrong or if you are lifting somebody up and something goes wrong.
‘Mine was a real freak accident. But look, you are on ice, you’ve got blades connected to your feet. There is always a chance something can go wrong and when it does go wrong in that environment, it can go really wrong.’
Greg, who is dad to Milo, nine, Rex, six, and Daphne, two, revealed that his six-inch ab-tear scar is the same size as his wife Susie’s C-section mark.
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Greg Rutherford has admitted that watching Dancing On Ice still gives him the chills – nine months after his horror injury on the ITV skating show
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Last year the Olympic gold-winning long jumper, 38, was forced to leave the competition just hours before the final after he tore his two abdominal muscles and needed major surgery
He added: ‘I’ve had a lot of bad injuries during my career but this was the most painful. But I’m not in any way trying to say I’ve gone through what a mother goes through!’
Greg revealed he is now fully recovered and has had ‘no problems’ recently.
The Olympic star previously opened up about recovering from his major injury to MailOnline, he said: ‘It was a shock to the system I’d gone from feeling really great to then losing all of that. My body was battered.
‘Where I have to be mindful is that I’m older so my recovery time is a lot slower, I’m not bouncing back like I used to. You don’t feel the same as you did.
‘I just promised Susie that I won’t be doing anything else. It’s not put me off but it is a realisation. It’s not just me and although I might want to push myself still, Susie had to look after me for a week.
‘You become a massive liability, you have to bare that in mind. I’m more conscious of everyone else around me now.’
It comes as Chelsee Healey and Andy Buchanan were the first couple eliminated from Dancing On Ice 2025 on Sunday night.
Comedian Josh Jones skated through to Movie Night after landing himself in the bottom two alongside Chelsee, and in a big format change there was no skate off for the first elimination.
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Now as the new series kick-started Greg revealed he is ‘nervous’ watching the celebrities competing after being left in serious ‘pain’ while skating last year
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He said: ‘I am a bit nervous watching. You never know if you catch an edge wrong or if you are lifting somebody up and something goes wrong. Mine was a real freak accident’
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Greg, who is dad to Milo, nine, Rex, six, and Daphne, two, revealed that his six-inch ab-tear scar is the same size as his wife Suzie’s C-section mark
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He added: ‘I’ve had a lot of bad injuries during my career but this was the most painful. But I’m not in any way trying to say I’ve gone through what a mother goes through!’ Greg revealed he is now fully recovered
Chelsee was at the bottom of the leaderboard when she performed last weekend with 22 points.
She put on a dazzling performance as she and partner Andy skated to Beyoncé’s Crazy In Love.
Fans were furious with the result though, with one tweeting ‘I knew it, poor Chelsee. She ABSOLUTELY didn’t deserve to go first.’
Reacting to her exit, Chelsee held back tears and said: ‘It’s fine’.
Holly said: ‘I think everyone is shocked actually to see you in this position.’
Chelsee replied: ‘Personally there’s been a lot going on with me that I’ve been struggling with so I couldn’t focus, but I’m just really grateful.’
Earlier in the show fans slammed the ‘unfair’ rule change meaning there was no skate off.
The glitzy ITV show returned to screens for its second episode, with five more celebrities taking to the rink with their skating partners for the first time, after the first six made their debut last week.
Dancing On Ice week 2 leaderboard
Michaela Strachan and Mark Hanretty – 30.5
Mollie Pearce and Colin Grafton – 29.5
Dan Edgar and Vanessa James – 29.0
Sam Aston and Molly Lanaghan – 27.0
Ferne McCann and Brendyn Hatfield – 26.5
Anton Ferdinand and Annette Dytrt – 26.0
Charlie Brooks and Eric Radford – 26.0
Chris Taylor and Vanessa Bauer 24.0
Chelsee Healey and Andy Buchanan – 22.0 – eliminated
Josh Jones and Tippy Packard – 20.5
Steve Redgrave and Vicky Ogden – 17.5
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It comes as Chelsee Healey and Andy Buchanan were the first couple eliminated from Dancing On Ice 2025 on Sunday night
While it had been confirmed that one couple would eliminated from the competition at the end of the show, viewers were upset to learn that there wouldn’t be a skate-off.
In series past, following a public vote, the two couples with the least number of votes would go head-to-head in the skate-off, with the judges choosing which pair would be sent home.
However, hosts Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern instead confirmed that there would be no skate-off this week, and the pair with the least votes would immediately be sent home.
It was a move branded ‘unfair’ with some viewers stating that some couples deserve the chance to prove themselves with another performance.
DANCING ON ICE 2025: MEET THE CONTESTANTS
FERNE MCCANN
AGE: 34
PROFESSION: Reality TV star
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘I’m so excited, it’s going to be a huge challenge but I’m excited for the glitz and glamour of the show.’
SIR STEVE REDRGAVE
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AGE: 62
PROFESSION: Former Olympic rower
WHAT DID THEY SAY? ‘It’s like going back to being an athlete again, I’ve been competing most of my life.’
CHARLIE BROOKS
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AGE: 43
PROFESSION: Soap star
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘I’ve skated when I was a kid and with mulled wine at Christmas. Until I get on the ice I have no idea how I’m going to be. I’m not that strong.’
ANTON FERDINAND
AGE: 39
PROFESSION: Footballer and pundit
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: Dancing On Ice will give me that focus but I’m also doing it for my daughter because she loves dance and performing arts.’
CHRIS TAYLOR
Age: 34
PROFESSION: Reality star
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘I’m somewhere between absolutely terrified and very excited and I keep flitting between the two quite aggressively throughout the day. I’ve not even started stretching yet, I need to.’
CHELSEE HEALEY
AGE: 36
PROFESSION: Actress
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘I’m ready, I’m good to go, let’s go! I’ve got a bit of rhythm but skating on ice is completely different, I’m excited.
MOLLIE PEARCE
AGE: 22
PROFESSION: Reality TV star and model
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘It will be fun, I want to challenge myself, I’m ready for the challenge.’
SAM ASTON
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AGE: 31
PROFESSION: Soap star
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘Anyone at work who I’ve spoken to has done it have all kind of the same thing that it is a great experience and it is really hard, and it’s tiring and tough but it is brilliant as well.’
JOSH JONES
AGE: 31
PROFESSION: Comedian
WHAT DID THEY SAY? ‘I’ve not got any skating experience whatsoever, I did it once for a date years ago and I wasn’t very good, I was holding onto the railings the entire time and we aren’t together now.’
MICHAELA STRACHAN
AGE: 58
PROFESSION: Television presenter
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘It’s going to be a big challenge, I think the last time I was on ice was 14 years ago, because I trained as a dancer, I’ve got a bit of balance, but I have no idea whether I’m going to be good.’
DAN EDGAR
AGE: 34
PROFESSION: TOWIE star
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘I’m looking forward to it but the thought of the live shows and performing is very real.’
DAME SARAH STOREY
AGE: 46
PROFESSION: Paralympian
WHAT DID THEY SAY?: ‘I’m excited to learn a new skill and have the opportunity to put myself out there and learn a new sport.’
