Dancing on Ice 2021 FINAL: Faye Brookes, Sonny Jay and Colin Jackson compete after ‘cursed’ series

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Sonny Jay and Angela Egan have been crowned the winners of Dancing On Ice 2021.  

The Capital FM star couldn’t hide his shock at being crowned series champion after beating out Faye Brookes and Colin Jackson in Sunday’s live final.

It comes after a series which has been plagued with woes which forced the final to air a week early, with five stars forced to pull out due to injury or positive Covid tests.

Sonny struggled to find words to share his excitement after he was announced as the winner, joining Angela to lift the trophy following one of the most turbulent series in the show’s history.

Speaking after the result was announced, he said: ‘That is mental. Thank you so much.’

He later added: ‘I can’t believe it… this is mental! I wanted to come out of this competition being able to skate with a beer in my hand – now I can do that and I’ve won the whole thing! I feel like I’ve completed life.’ 

Finishing as runner-up, Faye graciously said she only dreamed of reaching the final after her professional partner Hamish Gaman was forced to pull out mid-series, with his stand-in Matt Evers screaming ‘I love my job!’

She said: ‘All I wanted to do was get here. I did it as a personal challenge, I’ve made it here, and [the trophy] couldn’t have gone to a better guy.’ 

Sonny had stunned the judges all series with his vast improvement and finished in second place on the leaderboard behind Colin.  

For their first skate of the night, Sonny and Angela opted for a medley of songs from George Formby featuring a cameo from the DJ’s beloved ukulele, and came even closer to a full house with 39.5 points. 

John said: ‘You were skating like a pro out there. This pair I love watching, throughout the entire skate it was characterisation, and you bought your own person to it, so it was a definite sunny delight and a 10.’

The pair then opted to reprise their Popeye-themed skate from Couples Week, which landed them their first 40 of the night.

Christopher praised: ‘It’s your character you put it into it, it was so much fun you made it look easy, but from our point of view we can see how easy you made those steps are.’  

Jayne added: ‘You don’t miss a beat when you’re skating to it, and you’ve got this incredible personality as well.’   

Runners-up Faye and Matt kicked off the final with a fun performance to Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, including a daring move which saw the actress spun round on a lilo before launching herself onto the ice, before being sent soaring into the air for the infamous Headbanger. 

The pair came perilously close to a perfect 40 with 38 points, and were praised for tackling the complicated elements thrown in by Jayne and Chris, who choreographed the skate.

Ashley said: ‘You really did put a lot on their plates, all those elements about 100 props and what was nice to see was that such a packed routine. You handled that routine so so brilliantly and I think you really came into your own.’ 

Christopher added: ‘Amazing start to the show, we threw a lot at you this week in a short amount of time and you did amazing.

‘There were a couple of little things there didn’t go quite right but you’re getting used to covering them and being professional on the ice.’

Luckily Faye and Matt didn’t have to wait long for a coveted 40, as they left viewers spellbound with a reprisal of their Swan Lake routine.

Ashley said: ‘More speed, more fluidity, more conviction and just generally more confidence there was a moment in the roll-up when I genuinely had goosebumps.’

Jayne added: ‘It was the stunning the firs time around but I could see you made some changes to make it much more difficult.’ 

Ahead of their third place finish, Colin and Klabera were hoping to whip up a delicious treat for viewers with a sizzling skate to Arrow’s Hot Hot Hot. 

Despite a slip-up with their egg-ography at the skate’s end, the pair earned a perfect score of 40, the first of the night.

Jayne gushed: ‘I just loved working with you this week, I can see the relationship you two have together and it’s so much fun, you got the whole feeling and performance of it right well done.’

John added: ‘This is what this show is all about, someone who comes in doesn’t skate very well but then does the whole thing in one number the encapsulates everything.’ 

Colin and Klabera then struggled to hide their tears as they earned another 40 for their favourite skate of the series, to I Will Always Love You from The Bodyguard. 

Christopher praised: ‘Tonight it was the passion, it was the emotion that you too bring to the performance and ultimately if you’re doing Bolero, I hope we can see somebody like that performance so congratulations.’

Ashley added: ‘That for me was classic Colin and Klabera, I don’t think anyone can skate it quite like you too, I could watch it again and again.’

Sadly the duo’s skate wasn’t enough to earn them the famous trophy, and despite topping the leaderboard it was announcing during the show that Colin and Klabera had finished in third place.

Speaking after their elimination, Colin told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield: ‘It’s been a fantastic fantastic adventure I’ve been on, I’ve taken a wonderful new friend, great advise from the judges which I always feel I can apply to the next stage of training I mean it’s just been a phenomenal time!’   

Sunday’s live show also all of this year’s celebrity couples return to the show, and a vast majority headed back to the rink for a socially-distanced performance.

Jason Donovan was back in the rink after being forced to withdraw following a back injury, while Joe-Warren Plant and Vanessa Bauer return to the show after positive Covid tests forced them to pull out of the show. 

Sadly Denise Van Outen was unable to join the performance, as she told host Holly she still had to complete six weeks of physiotherapy after dislocating her shoulder in training, while Myleene Klass also stayed on the sidelines following another injury.

The final kicked off with a stellar performance from the professional skaters, giving fans their first glimpse of the three competing couples before taking to the rink.

Judge John put on a typically flamboyant display in a gold sequinned suit as he strutted onto the stage before taking his place on the panel.

Host Holly pulled out all the stops for the series finale on Sunday night in a strapless feathered bridal gown from designer Lee Petra Grebenau.

She teased a hint of cleavage in the strapless dress which featured a sweetheart neckline and fitted bodice. The skirt hugged the This Morning star’s curves before falling to the floor in pleats with an elegant trail.  

Holly complemented the show-stopping gown with pearl earrings and a raspberry pink lipstick.   

Ahead of the final, Faye spoke candidly about her experience taking part in the challenging show, admitting she was surprise how emotional she’d been taking part in the show. 

She said: ‘I knew it was going to be tough but I don’t think I realised how tough and I didn’t think that I would love it this much! 

‘All the hard work is worth it and I never anticipated the journey that I have had. Whether that be based on what the judges said to me week by week; the changing of my pro partner five weeks in; skating with Matt for one week and then getting 40 out of 40 in the semi-final – you could not write that! I’m so happy! 

‘This show is the best thing ever, honestly. I’ve loved it. I wouldn’t change a thing as well. I really wouldn’t.’ 

The former Coronation Street star added: ‘I’ve never pushed my body to this kind of limit. I don’t think I’m going to miss the bruises and I’ve scratched my hands on the ice. 

‘One of my legs – because that’s the one that we tend to use for the male to grab for lifts and then the other leg is all pretty and pointed – well that leg basically has paw prints all the way down the back of my hamstring! 

‘Each day I’m going home and soaking in the bath with all of the salts that I have. I’ve been bathing twice a day. I’m like a lady of leisure now! I wake up in the morning so stiff I have to have a quick dunk with all the magnesium salts just to get me moving and then it’s up, stretch and go!’

Colin said he was hoping to continue skating even after the final was wrapped, saying: ‘Yes, as a hobby because there are still things that you want to improve on. I definitely will keep skating. It would be a shame to waste it. You spend so long on the ice so, for me, I will definitely keep it up.’

He added: ‘What I’ve taken away is that I can still get out there and do things. Age is only but a number in that sense, if you put your mind to something. 

‘I thought my days of making finals were long behind me, so to get into a competition and to be in another final has just been fantastic. So, for me it’s just hopefully inspiring for other people of a certain age group and to say get out there, try something new and see what you can achieve.’

Sonny reflected on his incredibly moving performance during last week’s semi-final, which he dedicated to his late friend ‘Producer Joe’ Lyons.

He said: ‘When I signed up to the show I knew one of the things you could get to do was a personal skate. I didn’t know what week it would be in but I always had in my head that it was the one skate I wanted to do. 

‘It meant so much to me and I knew it would be such a nice tribute to Joe. Honestly, after that even if I did go I would have thought I’d completed it. Of course, getting great scores and going through to the final has been a bonus.’

The Capital Radio DJ added: ‘I didn’t expect it to be emotional at all. I expected it to be fun and it’s obviously ticked that box and beyond but the emotional side absolutely not. 

‘Now it makes sense – you’re going on a journey that’s a very intense one. If I’d have gone out a few weeks ago maybe it wouldn’t be as emotional as it is now. The competition starts to ramp up, you start to go actually I’m in this. I am a contender and I should believe in myself and back myself. You never know.’ 

This year’s Dancing On Ice has proven to be the show’s most turbulent yet with five celebrities forced to withdraw due to injury or positive Covid tests.

Last month show bosses announced that the series had been cut short after five celebrities were forced to quit due to injury and coronavirus.   

It was also confirmed that the show’s finale will now be taking place on Sunday March 14, instead of the original date of March 21.

A spokesperson for the show said in a statement: ‘ITV have taken the decision to move the final of Dancing on Ice forward by one week. The competition’s final will now take place on Sunday 14th March.

‘Our production team and cast have delivered a fantastic show during incredibly challenging times. 

‘Continuing to make the best TV for our viewers is our top priority and we look forward to the rest of the series, on air from this Sunday at 6pm.’ 

It comes after the show took a one-week break in February with the show not airing on February 21, to give skaters time to recover following a series of axes.

This year’s series has been hit by a long line of celeb exits, leaving some to think the season is ‘cursed’, and producers to run out of ‘back ups’ for the first time.

Jason Donovan was the latest celebrity to depart the show following a back injury, as he announced last month that he would not be returning to the ITV show. 

Emmerdale’s Joe-Warren Plant and his pro partner Vanessa Bauer were forced to withdraw after they both tested positive for COVID-19 while Denise Van Outen exited the show after injuring her shoulder in three places and dislocating it.

Billie Faiers was then forced to quit the competition after hitting her head and suffering from a concussion, while Rufus Hound announced his shock exit after testing positive for coronavirus. 

As well as the celebs, pro skater Yebin Mok, who was partnered with Graham Bell, had to bow out of the show following a freak accident which saw her suffer ‘a very nasty wound from an ice blade’.  

And skater Hamish Gaman, who had been competing with Faye, also withdrew from the series following an injury while putting on a sock. 

Filming for the 2021 series was only able to take place with the introduction of strict Covid-19 guidelines, which also meant the entire series was filmed without a live audience.

Skating couples formed bubbles to ensure they could perform and train safely, and social distancing was maintained due filming, with all the judges separated by perspex screens, and the cast have had regular coronavirus tests throughout their time in training.