Bradford Pop Idol Gareth Gates gets his skates on as he returns to reality TV as a contestant in the next series of Dancing On Ice.

Millions of viewers will be watching as he takes to the ice rink alongside 12 other celebrities in the ITV1 show.

Gareth, who grew up in East Bowling and whose parents live near Bingley, will be cheered on throughout the competition by fiancée Suzanne Mole, 32, who he proposed to on New Year's Eve.

The 23-year-old pop star, who found fame in the Pop Idol talent show, said he was "delighted" to be a part of this year's competition but admitted he had a "very bruised bottom" after picking up some eye-watering injuries during weeks of secret training.

He joked: "I'm looking forward to the wedding but I certainly won't be skating down the aisle!"

Gareth will be joined in the competition by TV star Chris Fountain, of Wibsey, Bradford, who plays Hollyoaks heart-throb Justin Burton.

The 20-year-old has been tipped as an early favourite by ice dance stars Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean because he played ice hockey for Bradford for two years.

He said: "I thought it was going to be a lot easier than it is. I'm used to knocking people down, not picking them up.

"The blades are different, the stance is different, the speed and the way you use your arms is different.

"The coach said it might have been easier if I couldn't skate at all because they have to change what I already know and that's kind of harder than having to learn it from scratch."

TV presenter Sarah Greene, former Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw, tennis ace Greg Rusedski, singer Samantha Mumba and former Page Three model Linda Lusardi are among the hopefuls.

The line-up is completed by former Olympic athletic medallist Steve Backley, cleaning guru Aggie Mackenzie, GMTV's Michael Underwood, and TV presenters Natalie Pinkham and Tim Vincent.

Fans of Gareth and Chris will be able to see them when the series starts this Sunday with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby presenting.

The contestants are again being tutored by Torvill and Dean, who predicted this year's series will be fiercely fought.

Mr Dean said: "Everybody's ambitious this year - us in what we want the celebrities to do, the celebrities themselves because they want it to be better than last year."

This is the third series of Dancing On Ice and culminates once again in the grand finale where one ice skating personality will be crowned Britain's new ice sensation.

e-mail: marc.meneaud @bradford.newsquest.co.uk