INTERVIEW: Ray Quinn talks about Dancing On Ice at The O2

12:19pm Friday 19th March 2010

By Matthew Jenkin

Despite coming second to Leona Lewis in The X Factor, baby-faced Ray Quinn went on to achieve glory in Dancing On Ice. He tells MATTHEW JENKIN about the show's current tour and his friendship with his former singing rival.

WITH two left feet and the balancing skills of a rhino on acid, skating is a dangerous hobby for me. No matter how hard I try to pull off a toe loop jump or a camel spin, it always ends with a face full of frost and broken, twisted limbs.

Fortunately, 2006’s X Factor runner-up Ray Quinn has enough rythmn and co-ordination to pull off not only a polished dance routine, but a dizzying figure skating performance.

With just week’s of training, Ray was crowned champion of last year’s Dancing On Ice contest.

The 21-year-old is now determined to prove he deserves his title as champion by joining a live tour of the ITV show, skating into The O2 next month.

He said: “I had no real experience of skating at all. We have to train every day for five hours with just Monday off. It becomes your life - you breath it, you sleep it, you eat it, you skate it.

“It was tiring but it was good fun and I really enjoyed it. That was the main thing and you had a laugh with the people you did the show with.”

Despite having starred in soap opera Brookside and acted in various stage shows, Ray only shot to stardom after competing in the ridiculously successful TV singing contest The X Factor.

But The X Factor is a walk in the park compared to the pressure and risks of performing in Dancing On Ice.

“In Dancing On Ice, you have a routine and are in costume, working with professionals and performing in front of millions with cameras and lights.

“You coudn’t see the ice sometimes and there were all these different problems to deal with.

“However, on The X Factor I knew what songs I was singing and had all week to practice. I knew where I ultimately wanted to be, but in Dancing On Ice I didn’t know where I was going half the time.

“It was much more of a challenge and I was absolutely going out of my confort zone.”

The X Factor has become a national obsession and no matter how far Ray runs from it, he will always be remembered for his smooth look on the programme and for coming second to Leona Lewis.

Apart from a healthy dose of friendly rivalry on the show, Ray says he felt no bitterness at losing to the international superstar.

He said: “We were such good friends and I couldn’t have come second to a better person. I was honoured to be with her in the final really because she made The X Factor what it is.

“Without sounding patronising I was proud of her at the time because we’d got so far together. We came from life at the back of the queue to the front and it was unbelievable the way it all went.”

The pair have remained friends and Ray says he still sends Leona the odd text message.

But while Leona’s music career has rocketed, Ray’s has stalled after his first self-titled album, despite topping the UK charts.

Ray said: “Music is something I’m definitely going to come back to, but I’m just taking my time at the moment.

“I’m up for anything and want to try new things. I don’t want to just stick to one thing.”