CHILLING OUT: 'ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE IN IT TO WIN'

FORMER EASTENDERS ACTRESS PATSY PALMER TALKS ABOUT TACKLING DANCING ON ICE IN HER FIFTIES

Former EastEnders star Patsy Palmer was 50 last year and while she’s still in incredible shape, she admits her age was a consideration when

weighing up the pros and cons of joining the new series of Dancing On Ice.

The actress and DJ, who played Albert Square’s straight-talking Bianca Jackson off and on for more than 25 years until her final appearance in 2019, now lives in sunny California.

She admits she feared she might not be physically up to the Dancing On Ice challenge. “I thought I wasn’t going to do this because it’s going to be too hard. I was also thinking about my age and that I might hurt myself.”

However, the mum-of-four decided to strap on her skates to show her children, Charley, 30, Fenton, 22, Emilia, 21, and 12-year-old Bertie, what it’s possible to achieve as you get older. She also felt that it was important to inspire other women of her age.

“I always want my kids to see it’s good to be doing fun things, challenging yourself and getting out there,” explains Patsy, who has been married to former cab driver Richard Merkell for 22 years. “I’m 50 years old and I’m there for the 50-year-old women.”

Despite her theatrical background, Patsy insists that she is no whizz when it comes to ice dancing.

“I like ice skating – I used to go with the kids – but I’m in no way an ice dancer,” reveals the actress. She admits that she used to “crash into the wall” when ice skating because she didn’t know how else to stop.