Fox announces the identities of its 'Skating With Celebrities' figure skating pairs

Fox has announced the identities of the figure skating pairs who will compete in Skating With Celebrities, its previously announced blatant rip-off of ABC's Dancing with the Stars surprise summer hit.


Copying the format of ABC's unique series and simply moving the participants from the ballroom floor to the ice rink, Fox's seven-episode Skating With Celebrities series will feature six celebrities paired up with well-known professional figure skaters. Like Dancing with the Stars, Skating With Celebrities' pairs will compete in weekly elimination performances.

Hosted by Olympic gold medalist and world champion Scott Hamilton, Skating With Celebrities will feature a judging panel that will include Dorothy Hamill, who, like Hamilton, is another of America's Olympic gold medalist and world figure skating champions.

"For most people, it's tough enough to learn these types of moves while on the dance floor or working out in the gym," FOX vice president Mike Darnell stated in the network's cast announcement.. "This competition will require our celebrity skaters to not only demonstrate rhythm, but also athleticism, grace and balance... on ice, and before a team of unforgiving judges with both Olympic and world championship experience. No doubt there will be plenty of falls, bruises and scary moments."

"All of the celebrities in the competition not only have the ability to skate, but the desire to excel and become great. What's really interesting is that even at the training level, a competition between the pairs is already developing," added Skating With Celebrities executive producer Arthur Smith.


The six pairs who will be competing on Skating With Celebrities (which Fox is expected to air as part of its midseason schedule) are:

• Former Full House actor and The Surreal Life 3 participant Dave Coulier and two-time Olympic figure skating medalist Nancy Kerrigan

• Former Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner and world champion pairs figure skater Tai Babilonia

• Former Diff'rent Strokes actor Todd Bridges and three-time U.S. national pairs figure skating champion and world championship medalist Jenni Meno

• Hollywood actress Kristy Swanson and two-time Olympic pairs figure skating medalist and world champion Lloyd Eisler


• Singer/songwriter/actress Deborah Gibson and four-time world figure skating champion Kurt Browning

• Television personality, reporter and weather forecaster Jillian Barberie and three-time U.S. pairs figure skating champion and world championship medalist John Zimmerman

Skating With Celebrities is being produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions. Arthur Smith and Kent Weed are executive producers.