Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get tickets for the Dancing On Ice Live Tour. I would have loved to go as I was an addict of the show and the thought of seeing Duncan James glide across the ice LIVE is almost too much to bear.

However, reports and reviews of the show have been great, I have yet to hear of a disappointed fan. Have a look here for a great review, The Daily Mail’s Claire Bates particularly loved Kyran’s body popping and Jason’s ever scathing remarks. Sounds like a great night out!

It was a GREAT final! It was my dream final!

Clare Buckfield and Kyran Bracken really both deserved to be there and there versions of The Bolero were enchanting to watch.

I couldn’t choose between the two and with each routine my mind changed about who I wanted to win, in reality, both went in with such fabulous attitudes that there couldn’t really be a loser tonight.

Kyran was crowned the ice skating king, and Clare looked genuinely happy for him. It was British TV at it’s best!

Kyran Bracken, Duncan James and Clare Buckfield are all skated up and ready to go for tomorrow nights Dancing On Ice Final.

Current favourite to win, rugby star, Kyran Bracken said: “There is pressure anyway whether we are favourites or not favourites.”
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“We’re just going to skate as well as we can and let the rest take care of itself,” he said.

Fellow finalist Duncan James said that his two-year-old daughter is his biggest fan. “She’s so loyal,” he said.

Meanwhile Clare Buckfield said: “To reach the final was a dream come true and to win would be fantastic.”

Friends of rugby star Kyran Bracken, have revealed that they are worried about Kyran and how hard he is pushing himself to learn the Dancing On Ice routines.

Kyran has admitted that the schedule is tough saying:

“One of the biggest worries each week is the next routine,” Kyran admitted. “And the thing is we have been in first place or right up there for the last three weeks. Everyone is coming up saying, ‘You’ll be in the final’ and talking like it is already decided. But that puts pressure on me because I want to keep it up.”

A close friend told the Daily Star Sunday: “Kyran has to learn to take time away from the ice. He should really think about his schedule and make sure he is not overdoing it. The last thing we want is for him to crash out or end this show an exhausted wreck.”

How did she do it? Emily Symons has survived another elimination and escaped being in the bottom twos couples tonight in ITV’s Dancing On Ice.

I think that most people would agree that Emily should have left the competition last week, if not before, but somehow she keeps surviving the public vote. Sympathy is a fantastic emotion, but at this stage people should really be voting on the basis of skill and not on personality.

I think it was unfair that Lee had to leave tonight, but as he ended up in the bottom two with Clare Buckfield it wasn’t at all surprising. The judges were unanimous, they saved Clare. Hopefully after this Clare will make the final and Emily will leave next week. A Duncan, Clare, Kyran final is only right.

Ben Shephard interviewed Kay Burley and Fred Palascak (who were knocked out of the competition on Saturday night) and judge Nicky Slater. First the discussion was about the overall performance to date of the competitors with Lee Sharpe and Kyran Bracken being encouraged to but in more performance, going from sportsman to performer.

Duncan James received special recognition as the most improved of the celebrities with his showmanship and natural skating skills, giving great performances. He and his partner Maria Flippox impressed all with their shimmering white outfits commented as looking like a snow prince and princess as they flowed across the ice. It was also said that Duncan related well to Maria and had both stance and speed.

Next, Judge Jason Gardiner came under fire by all at the interview with Kay saying she had nothing against him except she was very angry when he upset her child by nasty personal remarks he had made about her and that he must remember that there are children watching who would not be allowed to talk so ‘rudely’ to each other and that he should think before he says these things. She added that she saw him as a ‘pantomime bad guy’. Some of Jason’s unconstructive and vicious remarks were: ‘People vote for you to see your handsome partner or to see you take one of your many falls’ and ‘you look like a corpse on ice’. ‘Your smile makes you look demented’. ‘You probably would not even exude warmth if you were on fire.’ Etc etc. Her partner, Fred, said that these sort of destructive and cruel remarks have a bad effect on the performer. Judge Nicky stated that he preferred to be constructive in his criticism and also liked to encourage and give praise where deserved but cannot talk for another judge.

When given their ‘faces’ to stick on the picture of the person they thought would win, Fred said he should put it on Kyran because he is so proud of his wife, Melanie’s achievement with Kyran but he was putting it on the ‘under-dog’, Lee. Kay put hers on Kyran although she said we should keep our eye on Emily’s progress.

Apparently judging is made on the night’s show only, not past performance, which does make us wonder why Kay and Fred were chosen by the judges to leave and not Clare Buckfield with Andrei Lipanov, in the skate-off.

The competition is opened each week with world famous Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean giving us a sensational routine followed by manoeuvres expected that night from the competitors.

Tonight the required element was the ‘assisted jump’ with both feet raised from the ground

The performances have become very daring and exciting with each couple introducing more courageous manoeuvres each week and the gap between professional and celebrity becoming less noticeable.

Kyran Bracken and Melanie Lambert with the thousand ruby stoned dress, stole the show and took first place. They kept us on the edge of our seats and holding our breaths as they flawlessly went through their very dangerous routine earning 26 out of 30 points.

Lisa Scott-Lee and partner Matt Evers tied in second place with ClareBuckfield and Andrei Lipanov earning 23.5 points. The competition is exceptionally close and we are enjoying very advanced skating from the top couples.

Not far behind with 23 points were Emily Symons and Daniel Whiston who received high praise from the very critical judge, Jason Gardiner. He commented that Emily’s performance had been ‘sublime’. It has been reported that Emily and her boyfriend have recently broken up because of the demand on her time between ‘Emmerdale’ and ‘Dancing on Ice’ and although being very upset and in great pain because of landing on her coccyx during rehearsals, they pulled off beautiful lifts and twirls with elegant lines and grace.

Hours before the show, Lee Sharpe’s partner, Frankie Poultney had dislocated her wrist bone but, although also in much pain, they pulled off the good lifts and the ‘wrist ripper’. It was a surprise to see them in the bottom two for the skate off but they were saved by all five judges who chose them to stay and Stephen and Kristina to go. Lee was encouraged to work on his performance, more smiles and improve on his upper body.

Lisa Scott Lee and partner Matt Evers wowed us with their ‘sit lift’, reaching great heights and their low spin with her head almost smashing onto the ice. A very exciting and dangerous routine, putting them in the top three.

By judge’s points, Kay Burley and Fred Palascak were in the bottom two but the public votes saved them from the skate off. She looked really cute in her red skating boots, matching her short red dress.

Duncan James, with his new ‘weird’ hairdo, and Maria Flippox received 21.5 points this week and will have to pull off something new and exciting next week to keep up with the top skaters and make the top three.

Seven intense couples will compete next week to remain in ‘Dancing on Ice’. Who will be the next to go?

Kyran Paul Patrick Bracken MBE (born 22 November 1971 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland) is rugby union footballer who plays at scrum-half for Saracens and formerly Bristol and Waterloo R.F.C.

He won a total of 51 England caps and captained the team on three occasions, retiring from international rugby in 2004.

He was brought up in Liverpool and was educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at St. Edward’s College, and later was sent to the Jesuit Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. He attended a trial for Liverpool F.C. and scored three goals. He also flirted with the idea of playing rugby league for St Helens RFC.

After school he did a law degree at the University of Bristol whom he represented at rugby union. He was turned down by Ireland as ‘not good enough’ but signed up by Bristol.

Bracken made his England debut in November 1993 against the All Blacks. However, a stamp from Jamie Joseph seriously injured his ankle, putting him out of action for three months and leaving him with a permanent weakness. He started the 1994 Five Nations, but was dropped half-way through in favour of Dewi Morris. He missed the summer tour to South Africa, studying for law exams, but played in the 1995 Five Nations. Injury kept him out of the 1995 World Cup.

Kyran joined Saracens in 1996 and was part of the team that won the Tetley’s Bitter Cup against Wasps in 1998.

He missed out on selection for the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa in favour of Matt Dawson and Austin Healey, but was called up as injury replacement for Rob Howley but did not play in the tests.

He then became an irregular scrum half for England, with Dawson generally having the upper hand but being frequently injured. Bracken himself had a serious back injury that kept him out for most of the 1999 – 2000 season, including the 1999 World Cup.

He missed out on selection for 2001 British Lions tour to Australia, instead captaining England on a three match development tour of North America. In 2003 he played in the summer tour beating Australia and New Zealand. He appeared four times for England during the 2003 World Cup. He won his 50th cap against Wales in the quarter-final, and gained his last cap in the semi-final against France.

Courtesy Of Wikipedia