Emmerdale actress Linda Lusardi, 49, is ecstatic to be in Dancing On Ice after a fall nearly had her out of the competition before it had even begun.

“I was in training, stepping backwards on the ice when I landed on my ankle, fracturing a bone,” she explains. “I didn’t realise a fracture was a break, and so I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to carry on in the show. Luckily it was very minor and because of the place in which I’ve done it, it’s healed very well. It was a couple of months ago now and everything is stable which
is great. I’ve still got the L-plates on for sure but I feel much more confident especially when I’m holding Daniel’s (Whiston’s) hand.”

A big fan of the show, Linda has been getting some tips from Emmerdale colleague and former Dancing on Ice contestant Emily Symons, and she confesses that she had her eye on Emily’s man and so she is delighted to have bagged him as her own skating partner.

“I really hoped I’d get Dan because I’ve been to watch the show as a spectator over the last couple of years. Obviously Emily Symons had him and she said ‘you’ve got to have Dan’ and I knew it wasn’t up to me to make that choice. So when he walked on to the ice I was absolutely thrilled and he’s become a really good friend. He’s been staying over at my house and Sam, my husband, and I had nights out with him so now I feel like I’ve known him all my life.”

Having recently finished filming her final scenes for Emmerdale, Linda is able to concentrate all her efforts on improving her skating and is determined to give her all in the first live show.

“I totally belong to Dancing On Ice now and I’m dedicating all my time to it. I know in myself that I’ve done the best I can really and I’ve tried the best I can and I think that if the routines aren’t great it won’t be for lack of trying.

“I’m quite confident really. Daniel’s such a wonderful teacher and he’s so patient with me and sometimes the most dramatic things aren’t the hardest, sometimes it’s the things that look simple on the ice that are hardest – it’s backwards really. On some of the amazing lifts it’s Daniel doing all the work, I’ve just got to concentrate on holding my body stiff but it’s the tricky footwork on the ice where you should take your hat off to people because that’s the difficult stuff.”

Her husband and two children are behind her all the way, and together with the Emmerdale cast will be forming a Linda fan club from the sidelines each week.

“My husband was really thrilled I got the show and has been so supportive.After my ankle injury he just said ‘I’m just so proud of you to have come through it getting back on the ice and carrying on.’ My kids, Lucy aged 11 and 8 year old Jack just can’t wait to come.They’re already making banners for the show. I expect David Seaman will come along and see me as well because I supported him when he was in it and he keeps phoning to see how my foot is and see how I’m getting on.”

If there’s one thing Linda has learned from former contestants David Seaman and Emily Symons, it’s to protect yourself on the ice and not worry about how ridiculous you might look. “My big tip is to keep your armour on during training. I always make sure I’ve got my knee pads and elbow pads on.When you’re learning it doesn’t matter what you look like,just look after yourself because no matter how easy it looks, the first time you get on you’re going to fall over and it’s harder than concrete.”