Meet Carley Stenson: Dancing on Ice 2023 contestant and West End actress
Will Carley's stage experience stand her in good stead for Dancing on Ice?
Get your skates on: Dancing on Ice is back for a brand new season, and a new group of 11 celebrities have been training with the professionals before they make their debut on the rink.
Among those stars will be former Hollyoaks actress Carley Stenson, whose musical theatre background means that she has plenty of traditional dance experience (but as previous seasons have shown us, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be oh so easy when she takes to the ice).
She will be teaming up with pro Mark Hanretty, and she’ll also be supported from the stands by her Strictly finalist husband Danny Mac.
“My husband is so raring for me to just embrace something for me,” she said. “We’ve had a baby and I’ve put me to the back. He’s just like, ‘go get it, go get it’ - he’s so excited for me.”
Here’s what you need to know about Carley before Dancing on Ice kicks off.
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Who is Carley Stenson?
Age: 40
Job: Actress and musical theatre star
Instagram: @carleystenson1
Twitter: @carleystenson
Paired with: Mark Hanretty
Stenson began her acting career as Steph Cunningham on Hollyoaks in 2000, at the age of 17, and ended up staying on the Channel 4 soap for a decade, eventually leaving in 2010 to focus on musical theatre.
She has appeared as Princess Fiona in the West End production of Shrek: The Musical, and has also taken on the roles of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical (where she met husband Danny Mac) and of the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot.
In 2021, she joined the cast of the BBC’s long-running soap Doctors as Harriet Shelton.
What has Carley Stenson said about joining Dancing on Ice 2023?
When she was announced as part of the Dancing on Ice line-up last year, Stenson said: "I'm so excited that I get to learn how to dance... on ice! I'm terrified but can’t wait - I just want to make the most of this whole experience."
She recently revealed that she’s been asking her friend and former Hollyoaks co-star Jorgie Porter, who came in second place in the 2012 season of Dancing on Ice, for tips.
“She was exquisite (on the show),” Stenson said. “Jorgie is so elegant and beautiful, she was like a gorgeous fairy you put on top of the Christmas tree.
“I’ve already messaged Jorgie, actually. She said, ‘Do it. I had such a blast.’ She gave me advice, just as I gave her advice because she’s having a baby – we’ve kind of life-swapped!”
Dancing on Ice airs on ITV1 and ITX on Sundays. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide for more to watch.
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