Jake Quickenden: Dancing On Ice bosses want chemistry

Jake Quickenden claims ‘Dancing On Ice’ bosses put couples together on the show who they think might strike up a close bond.
The 30-year-old singer turned reality television personality – who won the ITV show last year with Vanessa Bauer – can see how easy it is for celebrities and their skating partners to start off a romance as they spend so much time together.
He said: "They always put you with maybe who you can … maybe you’ll get on, but most people are coupled up and nobody wants to ruin a relationship. But you can see why it might happen, you spend a lot of time with people, dancing and stuff."
However, Jake quipped it is not the "sexiest" environment to start a relationship as it’s so cold.
He added: "But you’re not warm and in a nice studio sweating, like ‘Strictly’. You’re freezing thinking about if you fall or drop someone in a lift there’s a good chance of injury. Everything’s shrivelled up. Do you know what I mean. It’s not the sexiest of places to be honest."
Jake split up with his fiancée Danielle Fogarty soon after winning the show but he insists it was nothing to do with the famous "curse".
He told The Sun Online: "That was totally separate. It had nothing to do with that at all. The Strictly curse is only a curse if you let it."
Jake’s comments come after Megan Barton Hanson accused Vanessa of being "disrespectful" and coming between her and her boyfriend Wes Nelson, who she is partnered with on the show.
She said: "It’s funny or a coincidence that Vanessa’s break-up came out the night they performed, she clearly wanted to get more hype around their performance. She knows the score; she did the show last year. She’s 22 years old. She knows questions are going to be asked about her and Wes and me being worried about them spending time together.
"Every woman will tell you it’s not ideal to have your boyfriend spending 12 hours a day with another woman – a little introduction from Vanessa would have gone a long way. ‘Dancing on Ice’ is very romantic and all about looking into each other’s eyes and parading around on the ice and being loved up together – it’s not easy to watch. Wes is my main priority, I love him. I am so passionate about him but it is going to be difficult now. I want to back him, but I don’t want to feel awkward."