X Factor contestant Saara Aalto has been officially announced for the new Dancing On Ice line up.
Saara Aalto is the tenth celebrity skater confirmed for a brand new series of Dancing on Ice 2019, which returns to ITV in the New Year.
Finnish singer Saara took part in The X Factor UK in 2006, where she finished runner up to Matt Terry.
Saara was announced live on Heat Radio today. She joins reality star Gemma Collins, actor Richard Blackwood, Strictly pro James Jordan, Westlife singer Brian McFadden, TV personality Saira Khan, cricketer Ryan Sidebottom, Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton, Aussie actor Mark Little and soap star Jane Danson in the line up.
Saara will be getting her skates and sequins on ready to compete alongside eleven other celebrities in the quest for glory, under the watchful eye of the skating legends Torvill and Dean, who head up the judging panel.
Each week the twelve celebrities will skate live with their professional partners in a bid to impress both the panel and the viewers, who will ultimately decide who wins the show.
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby once again return to present the new eleventh series overall.
On joining the show, Saara said “I’m super excited about this, I love new challenges and I’m very ambitious. I can be very competitive, but I mainly want to challenge myself. I’ll be saying to myself ‘Saara, you need to push yourself more!’ I am so ready for this and I can’t wait to get on the ice.”
Show sources say they hope Saara will prove popular with viewers, following X Factor contestant Jake Quickenden’s victory on the last series.
An insider told The Sun newspaper: “After Jake Quickenden won the show last year, bosses were keen to sign up another X Factor star. They’re sure Saara’s bubbly personality will translate to the rink.”
Dancing On Ice 2019 will start on ITV in the new year.