Dancing on Ice - Natalie Pinkham
11 January 2008 - Introducing celebrity skater Natalie Pinkham
Age: 30
Occupation: TV presenter
Skating partner: Andre Lipanov
Celebrity Supporters: Will Greenwood, Di Stewart, Annabel Croft, Georgie Thompson
A self-confessed sports fanatic, TV presenter Natalie Pinkham is throwing herself into her latest challenge, yet unlike most of the other female contestants she's seen a downside to losing weight.
"Even if I go out in the first round I want to keep it up because it's a great way of keeping fit. But one thing is that the boobs have shrunk though. First thing to go."
"I've always been fairly sporty, I used to run a lot, I'm reasonably fit and I'm competitive with myself. I've always been a person that wants to push harder."
"My problem's not the fitness side of it, it's the co-ordination, the poise and the grace and remembering the moves and any kind of routine - that's so alien to me. But the actual athletic, sporty, side of it comes naturally."
Natalie has just been announced as the new Friday drive-time presenter on London's Heart FM. She also presents Channel 4's Adrenalin Rush and spent last summer in the States hosting the US version of David Beckham's Soccer USA, also reporting back for Tim Lovejoy's version of the show on Channel 5. Presenting for The Poker Channel a few years ago left Natalie with a new passion. While she wouldn't describe herself as a pro, she does confess that she's mad about poker.
A hazard of her job means that single Natalie is always travelling, so she's enjoyed the stability that training for Dancing On Ice has placed on her life.
"I've loved the structure that it's imposed on my life. It's been really good to have that sort of focus because for the last few years I've literally been chasing my tail a bit, travelling an awful lot with work, living from suitcases and I've really loved staying in London, getting up every day, going training for three hours a day, coming home and stretching off and doing a bit of dance. I'm not used to routine at all. I didn't realise how much I'd enjoy it."
Natalie's progress on the ice has been steady and she absolutely realises that her attitude has an affect on her rate of improvement.
"I enjoy it so much more when I'm in a gung-ho frame of mind so I know a lot of it is psychological, I know I just have to be in the right frame of mind and I'll really push myself. I'm a bit of a dare devil and I do enjoy trying the hard stuff. I like doing the lifts.
"I think I will enjoy the new experience of actually performing even though it's something I don't do very often. As a kid my brother and I always used to put on plays for my family every Sunday, so I know I'm a bit of a show pony at heart. I've just got to find that in me again and I'll enjoy it."
Despite her positive mental attitude, Natalie confesses that she has had a particularly low point during training.
"I've been working really hard with the day job and trying to skate as well and there was one day that I was really tired and I wasn't sleeping particularly well. I remember going home and my flat was freezing cold, there was no food in the fridge and I was thinking, 'Oh my God, can I do this?' I just let everything get to me and literally had a meltdown. I rang my mum, had a cry and she told me to come home. I went back and mum just revealed this table of muffins and flapjacks, she must have baked all night for me. Bless her! So I ate my own body weight in muffins and I felt better again."
Her biggest fans, Natalie's family will definitely be coming down to watch the show.
"My mum is mildly obsessed with the show. She absolutely loves it. As a family we're big fans of all things sporty so every Sunday we would have apple crumble and watch Ski Sunday, Rugby Special, or Grandstand. For me to be competing in something is a real high point for the whole family. I often go and stay with my brother in Nottingham and we go and skate. He comes with me to the rink and sometimes he films me so I can watch it back to see how I'm improving. So it's been a real family effort."
Labelling herself as being naturally accident prone, Natalie is praying that she won't have any nasty falls on the ice.
"I broke both my arms at the same time when I was ten and obviously was in plaster so I think my family are quite worried about me. I've got so many cuts and stitches and am completely accident prone so it's a worry."
Natalie has lots of sporting friends in America who she says are dying to see her on the show, but as the show isn't broadcast there, the only opportunity to see her will be on internet clips.
"I know that a few of my sporting friends and people I've worked with are all going to be watching. All the guys over in America are desperate for it to be on the screens over there because they love it. I'll have to get on YouTube so they can see me but the trouble is to be on YouTube I'd have to fall over or something. Hmm, maybe I don't want to be on YouTube."
