'Dancing On Ice stunts are harder than those in Bond movie

[Blowfeld]

'Dancing On Ice stunts are harder than those in James Bond movie'
Says Casino Royale star Sébastien Foucan

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By JEN BLACKBURN
Published: 11th February 2012
DANCING On Ice star Sébastien Foucan is most famous for playing 007 baddie Mollaka in Casino Royale's spectacular opening scenes – but he reckons his TV skating stunts are just as hard.

The action sequence in the 2006 Bond film sees the French parkour and freerunning expert chased by Daniel Craig in breathtaking scenes on a high-rise building site before they grapple on top of a crane.

Sébastien told TV Biz: "This is a different field but in terms of risk it is the same.

"I was dealing with heights and cranes on James Bond but here I'm dealing with the surface of ice, which is risky and unpredictable and if you don't get it right, you can be injured."

Parisian Sébastien devised freerunning — acrobatic climbing and jumping between buildings, walls and other urban obstacles — so he is used to scaling buildings, leaping off roofs and jumping over objects.

But though the activity calls for bravery, he admitted: "When I started doing Dancing On Ice I was very worried about the blades because they are so sharp. Now I'm more worried about the ice and how slippery it is."


Sébastien — who is nicknamed Spider-Man because of his skill in climbing skyscrapers — added: "I fall down less now but at the beginning of my practice I fell over about 40 times — from the back, from the front, to the side, over and over.

"But I think you can't skate properly unless you fall down. You have to stand up afterwards."

Sébastien is so impressed with his pro skating partner Brianne Delcourt that he has dubbed her The Ice Angel.

He said: "I call her that because of the way she glides and the speed she has. Some people think I'm a Spider-Man on ice but Brianne is so pure. She is the real superhero."

Sébastien's skating has been described as fearless by the judges and he has done some of the biggest jumps the show has ever seen.

But he has one big worry. He said: "I am fearless but I think for all the male celebrities the main fear is we might drop our partners.

"I'm worried all the time. I can fall but to drop my beautiful partner would be a nightmare."

While there are huge stunts in freerunning and Sébastien has managed to adapt some tricks for the rink, this is the first time he has had to work in a team.

He said: "The big challenge is being on the ice and the second is to work with my partner as one. We have to work hard to make sure my technique is secure enough for her."

This week all the celebrities are doing romantic routines inspired by Valentine's Day on Tuesday.

So Sébastien and Brianne have been trying to inject a bit of flirting into their relationship to try to make the audience feel like they are in love and to impress judges Louie Spence, Robin Cousins and Katarina Witt.

Ice guy ... Sébastien with dance partner Brianne

He said: "We were like brother and sister before this week and now we have to show people we are in love. We need to be entertaining and to show there is something between us.

"It has to be high contact and very close and we need to have a connection and co-ordination and be together, but we'll make it happen."

The other big challenge for Sébastien this week is mastering head judge Robin's famous Olympic move — the splits jump.He said: "I'm doing it as a tribute to Robin because it was his trademark. I want to do it right for him.

"I'm only worried about my trousers — I'll be on YouTube if they split."

DANCING On Ice star Jennifer Ellison is so afraid she might pop out of her low-cut catsuit this week, she begged bosses to reinforce it so she is not left redfaced.