Dancing on Ice - Samantha Mumba
11 January 2008 - Introducing celebrity skater Samantha Mumba
Age: 24
Occupation: Singer, actress
Skating Partner: Pavel Aubrecht
Celebrity Supporters: Westlife, Boyzone, Bryan McFadden, Brian Friedman, Michael Jackson
"My high point has been losing weight. Squeezing into smaller jeans - Now that's something that hasn't happened in a long time!"
Sexy singer and actress Samantha Mumba, who has relocated from her home in Los Angeles for Dancing On Ice, confesses her body has never been in such good shape.
"I'm discovering muscles that I never knew I had and this is the fittest I've ever been. I'm actually very proud of myself with my skating and I've definitely got very fit."
With a platinum album under her belt in 2000 and following musical success in both the UK and the notoriously difficult American market, Samantha turned her hand to acting, appearing in several films including Steven Spielberg's The Time Machine and most recently starring in the Irish movie 3 Crosses.
Having had a break from her singing career, Samantha is set to release a new single in early 2008.
With a love for ice-skating since she was a little girl, Samantha jumped at the opportunity to develop a new skill.
"I've always loved watching ice skating, I just think it's so fabulous and amazing how they do it, and they're so fit. I wished my Mum and Dad had put me into that when I was a little kid. I never thought at this age I'd get to do it but it just goes to show that you never know."
Admitting that she's naturally fairly lazy, it takes a strong character to motivate her and she has nothing but admiration for skating partner Pavel who is cracking the whip.
"I was so relieved when I saw Pavel. He's big and tall and strong and I was saying to myself 'Thank you!' He's really good and he pushes me a lot. I'm lazy and he's definitely hard on me, but that's a good thing because he just wants to get the most out of me.
"We've been doing lifts upon lifts and skating every day and I'm happy with how I'm getting on.
"For the longest while I had the feeling that I was never going to get there, never going to be able to skate backwards and never be able to do everything but it slowly just starts to happen and it's actually a lovely feeling to be making progress although there is obviously lots of room for improvement."
It's not just the physical time spent on the ice that takes its toll on the contestants, which came as something of a surprise to Samantha.
"Practicing two hours a day is already hard so it scares me that when the shows actually start the time will go up even more to maybe four hours a day. The skating is definitely a lot harder that I thought it would be, mentally as well as physically. After a session I'm drained for the whole day and I didn't realise you needed as much stamina to do it. It looks so easy because you're gliding round the ice and everyone looks graceful and elegant but it's definitely a lot of tough work."
One low point for Samantha has been suffering a knee injury which more than anything has affected her confidence on the ice.
"I'm so clumsy at the best of times that I was focussing on not falling and now typically I've hurt my knee.
"I was devastated to do it and I tore a couple of ligaments but I'm being optimistic and I'm determined to not let it affect me. I will hang in there."
Spending more time in the gym to compensate for her injury and to strengthen her muscles is a positive and Sam is thrilled that she can treat herself to her favourite fast food without piling on the pounds.
"I'm doing a lot of strengthening work in the gym to keep everything going and working really hard. I've been losing weight and getting into smaller jeans. That hasn't happened in a long time! I've cut out the alcohol since I've started training because the thought of getting onto the ice with a hangover is unbearable. I've been trying to eat well but actually it's nice to think 'You've skated a few hours today you can have that Big Mac'."
After watching last year's contestants in Dancing on Ice, Samantha has a definite favourite.
"Kyran is such a nice guy and it's amazing that he's now skating for a living. It's unbelievable especially seeing his journey from the beginning to the end. He's very inspiring to me and I think he's lovely. This is so far out of my comfort zone and I'm afraid that I'm going to be so nervous that I shake that first night on the ice and then fall over. But remembering the journey that others like Kyran have come on before keeps me going."
