Meet Ben Foden: Dancing on Ice 2022 contestant and rugby star

Ahead of the series, Foden admitted he's not very "flexible", so what exactly convinced him to go on the show?

Speaking of former contestant Wes Nelson, who took part in the series in 2019, he said: "I spoke to a few guys before I accepted doing the show, I spoke to Max Evans, and Wes Nelson. Wes was the one who really made me do the show because he said it was an unbelievable experience and he absolutely loved it. He couldn't recommend doing it higher. So he was one of the reasons why I said yes in the end."

We sure hope Wes gave him some tips for the ice!

Here's everything you need to know about Ben Foden - including who is professional skating partner is on the 14th series.

Who is Ben Foden?

Age: 36

Job: Rugby player

Instagram: @ben_foden

Twitter: @ben_foden

Paired with: Robin Johnstone

Ben Foden is an English rugby player who plays for Rugby United New York in Major League Rugby. A fullback or scrum-half, he won 34 caps for England between 2009 and 2013.

Foden was previously married to The Saturdays star Una Healy, with whom he shares two daughters Aoife and Tadhg. The pair split in 2018, and he married Jackie Belanoff-Smith in 2019. Jackie gave birth to their daughter Farrah in 2020.

What has Ben said about joining Dancing on Ice 2022?

Ben is looking forward to learning a new skill.

Speaking of his new signing, he said: "I used to skate a little when I was a kid. I’d go to ice discos when I was 15, 16 (years old) and you’d always see these kids that could do pirouettes that had a proper dancing background. I like the idea of learning a new sport and a new skill. I’m quite competitive as well so I like the challenge of competing against others doing something that I’m not necessarily good at!"

Dancing on Ice is on Sundays on ITV. Want something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide or visit our Entertainment hub for the latest news.