Great Britain’s legendary hurdler, multiple gold medallist, world record holder, TV and radio Broadcaster Colin Jackson CBE is hoping to add another string to his list of accomplishments, taking on the challenge of Dancing on Ice.
Paired with skating professional Klabera Komini, Colin is looking forward to taking on something new and learning a whole new skill.
We chatted with Colin to find out why the 53 year old has decided now is the right time to face the ice...
You took part in Dancing On Ice Goes Gold a one-off special that featured you and fellow Olympians. What made you want to come back and give the show another try?
"I think truly it’s unfinished business really. On that show we only had very limited time on the ice to try and learn a real skill. Doing the actual show gives you far more time to actually hone something and to learn something properly, more in depth. For me I had a bit of a taster back then, I’d never skated before and I’ve never skated since! I literally haven’t gone on the ice since but I really wish I had now. I’ll have to relearn everything as it’s been such a long time. It genuinely feels brand-new, brand-new partner and everything so I’m excited."
Do you have any fears about taking to the ice?
"Oh yeah! I remember what it was like falling and that is uncomfortable. You do not want to be spending your time flat on your back. That is the jeopardy though when you’re working on a slippery surface. It can bite you on your butt if you lose your focus."
What’s the biggest appeal about doing the show?
"It’s a life skill and the opportunity to work with true professionals who are great at what they do. It’s an honour to be able to do that, there’s only a certain amount of people who get that opportunity and I’m one of the lucky people to have the opportunity so, for me, it’s a personal challenge, a great challenge and with the best people that I could possibly ask to go on this journey with. I’m looking forward to that more than anything else."
You sound quite unphased by it so you’re not put off by doing any of the lifts or daunted by a headbanger?
"The reason why I feel confident is because I know I’m in the hands of professionals and when you’re in that position they will know what you’re capable of. They won’t put themselves or me in a dodgy position and that is the important thing so that fills you with confidence already. Will I be challenged? Of course I will be! So, there’s excitement in that. Also, I have that sense of confidence that I won’t be exposed to doing dangerous things that I’m not absolutely capable of doing. You’ve got to accept that you’ll be pushed. It’s a LONG time since I’ve really had to be learning something at the beginning. When you think about it, when you retire from sport you retire at the top of your game. You know everything about it so if you pick it up again you’re only really brushing up on already known skills. This time round doing this, I’m right at the beginning. I really have to test myself again and see what I’m like as an adult learner, not as a kid learning."
I imagine it’s innate in sports people to have that competitive side, are you in it to win it?
"I’m competitive with myself. I do come from an individual sport where it’s all about you so I always feel like I need to be happy with my own personal performance. My competition and my challenge will always be with me so as long as I deliver what I’m capable of delivering then I will be content. Not necessarily happy but content – there’s a slight difference."
What would you say to your pro skating partner are your strengths and weaknesses?
"I bring true commitment and dedication to it. I will stick to it and I think that is important when you’re working with your pro partner because they need to know you’re in it as much as they’re in it. I will work tirelessly until it’s right if need be. The negative side of that when you’re always striving for perfection and you don’t achieve it you can feel like you’re failing. Failure is a bad thing that you can knock yourself down with and that as a thing that comes from professional sport. What is very strong and very positive can also have that negative effect. I’ve got to be careful with that. My professional partner will always just have to remind me to maybe not be so hard on myself and make sure that I really enjoy whatever I’m doing."
How will you feel about being critiqued by the panel?
"I’ve already accepted that because, when you spend your life being coached, your coach never tells you anything positive because they need you to improve. To improve your faults need pointing out. They’ll touch on your successes but then say you need to do this and this. All that is the way I’ve always known so I expect that."
So why Dancing on Ice now?
"Friends of mine would say mid-life crisis! My sister first of all said – can your bones take it if you fall?! I love all that. That’s the challenge. Each year I always want to improve myself and I want to show people that age is only a number. Also, I physically feel better now than I did at twenty because I’m not pushing myself in the same way. This for me is more of a mental challenge than a physical one. I think that is something you should always keep testing – your mental strength. Ask yourself what am I capable of doing? When you’re in your 50s, as I am now, you can start to cruise, to think well I’ve achieved everything I wanted to achieve but why cruise? If I’m capable of it, why not?!"
Have you got any friends who have been on Dancing on Ice?
"Yes, James Jordan and he did very well! He told me it killed his feet though. When I saw his first live performance it didn’t match his moaning because he told me how terrible he was and how hard he was finding it. James, however, is of course a perfectionist. And when he first performed I thought oh my god you’re amazing."
Are you ready to embrace the costumes, sequins and all of the showbiz of performing?
"What I’m looking forward to is the proper glamour bit! When you dress up you become another character and I love the fact that I can become another character. That’s one of the best things. It’s quite liberating in a sense. If you can only stay as yourself you become more self-conscious, the costume and character frees you. It helps you to be the character in the moment."
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