Dancing On Ice star Kye Whyte has joined the debate over contestants who are professional performers having an ‘unfair’ advantage.
The Olympic BMX champion is one of the only remaining finalists who doesn’t have a professional dance background.
Kye, 22, has impressed viewers week on week with his skilled performances on ice and now says he isn’t phased by the competition as he heads into Sunday’s semi-final and is embracing the challenge.
Kye will go up against rivals Kimberly Wyatt, Brendan Cole, Connor Ball and Regan Gascoigne as he tries to score a place in the final.
He told The Sun: “I love being the underdog, I love it so much. I’m just trying to live up to all their standards.
(Image: ITV)
“It makes me enjoy skating more, knowing my scores ain’t too far away from them guys — even though I reckon if they could get higher than a ten, they probably would be.”
Fix claims have been rife this year with viewers insisting that contestants who have come from a dance background have an unfair advantage over those who haven’t.
The claims have focussed mainly on former Strictly Come Dancing Pro Brendan, 45, but 26-year-old Regan is also a dancer, and former Pussycat Doll Kimberly, 40, is well known for her sultry moves with the band.
(Image: ITV)
Happy Mondays member Bez added fuel to the fire after he was given the chop claiming he was overlooked as a possible winner because he didn’t have a pro dancing history.
However, Kye is just keen to prove his worth as a dancer after ending up in the skate-off four times over the series.
He said: “All I can do is just skate to the best of my ability and it’s in the judges’ hands and in the public’s hands.
“But when it comes to the skate-off, the person who stays is down to the judges and I’ve been the one they picked. So I’m grateful for that.”
(Image: Getty Images for British Olympic Association)
This week will see Kye and his skate partner Tippy Packard, 26, perform an emotional routine to Stand By Me.
The performance will be dedicated to Kai’s family, including his mum Tracey, who has leukaemia and his dad and coach, Nigel.
Kye explained that the dance will be a “very personal one”, grooving to a slow song rather than an upbeat track.
He added it’s all about the skating, as well as “touching the hearts” of his mum and anyone going through a similar situation.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
