Ray Quinn Wins Dancing On Ice

Ray Quinn said: “I am absolutely speechless I have been dreaming of this moment from the beginning, the fact we did it together from the beginning, Maria’s been fantastic.”

Maria, who cried as the result was announced, added: “This is the best gift for Mother’s Day.”

After six months of gruelling training, spending close to 600 hours on the ice, and having been whittled down from 13, the three remaining celebrities Ray Quinn, Donal Macintyre and Jessica Taylor battled it out in the final of Dancing on Ice.

The three finalists’ first performance involved flying and then each celebrity performed their favourite routine from the series.

Tonight everything was about the public vote and while the judges gave marks, these didn’t count and it was down to the public to determine who won.

The celebrities each performed two routines and then there was a public vote. Jessica Taylor was the first celebrity to be knocked out and missed out on performing the Bolero.

An emotional Jessica cried as she said: “I just really, really wanted to do that (the Bolero)for my mum on Mother’s Day, I loved every minute it’s been brilliant.”

Her skating partner Pavel said: “I loved every moment of it, it’s such a big shame – we loved the Bolero so much we really wanted to skate it tonight.”

Phillip Schofield said to Jess and Pavel: “You were such a perfect partnership.”

Skating one final time with his version of the Bolero, Donal said: “It’s hard to believe I could never imagine myself being lost in the dance…I just want to say I really, really hope when there are bankers with knighthoods there are two people who deserve knighthoods. They (Torvill and Dean) are icons and gods and it’s been a wonderful experience for all of us.”.

The judges gave Ray and Maria a standing ovation after their Bolero performance.

On getting to the final two and skating the Bolero Ray said: “Anything could have happened – nothing’s for certain. The fact I got to do it with a wonderful partner like Maria absolutely made it for me.”

Christopher Dean added: “Both versions were fantastic, Donal has really come along so far and Ray and Mara, I got a lump skating mine and I got another lump seeing that one.”