Charlie Brooks reveals the real reason she signed up for Dancing On Ice and admits she would be 'angry and jealous' if her skating partner Eric Radford performed with anyone else

Charlie Brooks has revealed the real reason she signed up for ITV's Dancing On Ice ahead of Sunday's launch show. 

The EastEnders actress, 43, who portrays Janine Butcher in the hit BBC soap, has been training with her pro skating partner Eric Radford for the past three-months. 

And as well as timing, Charlie admitted that the reason she said yes to appearing on the show is so she could get a 'really solid bum'. 

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Charlie explained: 'Timing was really good for me and my word of the year was adventurous.

'It also meant I could really get in touch with my body and get a really solid bum!'

She added: 'My gut said to do it. My head told me not to, actually. So I had a little bit of a fight with those two, and then once I got really quiet, I was like, it's the right thing to do, yeah, yeah. And I am so happy I made that decision, yeah.'

Charlie admitted she would be 'angry and jealous' if her skating partner Eric Radford performed with anyone else 

During the interview, Charlie turned to Eric and said: 'Actually, when I think about you dancing with someone else, that really annoys me. I like it makes me so angry and jealous.'

Eric replied: 'I take it as a compliment!

'I think right from day one we had a special connection, and we've been getting along so easily. We have been having a lot of fun. I lift her a lot!'

Charlie added: 'He is very strong. I trust him implicitly, but I don't know if he can say the same for me and my blades.'

The ITV skating show returns to British screens on Sunday with Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern at the helm.

And the judging panel for Dancing on Ice 2025 will see Oti Mabuse , Ashley Banjo , Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean return to their seats.

It comes just after the actress revealed she has found love once again as she shared sweet Instagram snaps on Tuesday - six years after her heartbreaking split.

Charlie went public with her new romance as she cosied up to producer James Fuller during a walk in London.

She looked happier than ever as she hugged partner James during the sunny outing as they snapped a picture together.

The couple wrapped up in large padded jackets and both coordinated wearing sunglasses.

Producer James, who has worked on a series of high profile adverts, is thought to have met Charlie earlier this year.

It’s Charlie’s first public romance following her split from her boyfriend of six years, Ben Hollington, in 2018.

Charlie shares daughter Kiki, 20, with ex Ibiza club owner and still close friend Tony Truman, who she split from in 2007.

After the full Dancing On Ice lineup was revealed in October, Charlie took to Instagram to share a snap of herself putting on her skates , along with the caption: 'Getting my skates on. Clearly quite excited about this.'

Appearing on Loose Women last year, Charlie said; 'I've known for a few weeks. Everything been so mental over the last few months and its just settling in.

'Everyone's like how are you feeling, I suffer with nerves so I don't know how that is going to go.

'I've skated when I was a kid and with mulled wine at Christmas. Until I get on the ice I have no idea how I'm going to be. I'm not that strong.

'I'm not competitive but it might come out in me and I want to have fun and not get injured.'

She continued: 'I over thought it for a long time but I thought what would my 10 year old self think and I thought she would be like absolutely yes.

'I had two words at the beginning of the year which were intentional and adventurous.'

Detailing her worries for the competition, Charlie went on: 'I don't know if my body's going to let me down because I don't feel like I'm that strong at the moment, and I see them doing that crouch on the ice and that just blows my mind.' 

The show returns Sunday January 12 at 6.30pm, live on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.