Ice champion nervous ahead of tour (From Hereford Times)

Ice champion nervous ahead of tour

4:38pm Friday 13th April 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Dancing On Ice champion Matthew Wolfenden admitted to being nervous ahead of a national arena tour after he fell over during his first rehearsal.

The Emmerdale actor will take the hit show around the country - while still filming scenes for the soap every morning.

He pipped Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter and reality show star Chico in the final of the glitzy ITV show last month.

Ahead of the opening night at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena, Wolfenden said: "I feel really nervous.

"It was my first time back on the ice yesterday and I fell over.

"Hopefully I won't get on the ice and fall over in front of 8,000 people."

Victory came at a cost for the actor as he needed two MRI scans after his punishing training regime, and he thanked professional ice skater Nina Ulanova for making him tough it out.

He said: "Nina worked really hard on me, she was never one for letting me go home early.

"She has the Russian mentality of training where you never complain, even if you are hurting all over and it worked for me."

The tour begins in Newcastle and travels to Wembley, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Birmingham and Liverpool, before ending in Glasgow on May 7.