We’re used to seeing her on our screens, whether it’s in Hollyoaks as feisty Goldie McQueen, or waltzing her way through to the Strictly final back in 2011, and Chelsee Healey is set to dazzle us once more as she prepares to put on her skates for ITV’s Dancing On Ice.
Chelsee, 36, who is mum to seven-year-old Coco and 10-month-old daughter Cooki, who she shares with partner Eddie, admits she’s delighted about the prospect of gliding across the ice. Though she jokes she’s not too confident about her chances.
She tells Closer, ‘This could not have come at a better time. I’m so excited at the thought of doing a live show, learning a new skill and being in that bubble, I can’t wait to get started. I can perform and I do have rhythm, but I don’t know whether that will stand up on the ice, as I’m a shocking ice-skater. I’m not the best, the only time I go skating is when I’m on one of those penguins with Coco!’
She adds, ‘I’ve asked my Hollyoaks friends Jen Metcalfe and Jorgie Porter, who’ve done the show before, for advice. I told them to give me a few lessons. I definitely won’t be as good as them! I think the line-up is fabulous, I know Ferne McCann already, and I’m so excited that Charlie Brooks is doing it because I grew up watching her – she’s the best signing ever.’
And Chelsee admits Coco can’t contain her excitement either. She says, ‘Coco can’t wait to come to the live shows, that’s all she keeps asking about. She absolutely loves fashion, but she won’t be getting anywhere near my sequin dresses! If I’ve got a belly top on, she tells me to take it off. I try not to let her wear crop tops as she’s too young, but she hates the fact that I wear them and she can’t. She is a proper character!’
And while life is about to get a whole load busier, Chelsee admits she’s taking it all in her stride. She says, ‘It’s absolute chaos at home but we’ve all adapted, and Coco is so gorgeous with Cooki. She mothers her, passes me nappies and will always hold her, she’s like my little helper. I didn’t know which way it would go at first, as sometimes there can be a little bit of jealousy between girls, but it’s gone the right way. As soon as Coco walks in the room, Cooki gets excited!’
Meanwhile, despite the fact that she only gave birth 10 months ago, Chelsee looks incredible. She says, ‘I was never in a rush to lose weight, looking good was never at the forefront of my mind. My focus was only about feeling mentally strong as I really did struggle more, mentally, this time round, but I’m coming through the end of it. I was lucky the weight dropped off me, probably due to stress. The same thing happened with my mum, and when I had Coco, so it’s most likely genetics.’