27 January 2023 , 21:10
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She might not seem quite so imposing, but Joey Essex says being trained by his pint-sized figure skater partner is as tough as going toe-to-toe with a bunch of former special forces soldiers.
The reality star survived two weeks being beasted on Channel 4 's SAS: Who Dares Wins and even made it through to the interrogation stage of the gruelling course.
But it seems his time in the trenches was the perfect preparation for his latest adventure on Dancing On Ice.
He has been paired with German skating champion Vanessa Bauer and Joey says she is proving just as tough as SAS hunk Jason Fox and his pals.
"Vanessa really whips me into shape!" he says, speaking ahead of his second outing on ITV 's skating series tomorrow. "It's a similar process to SAS: Who Dares Wins, because you’ve got to listen. You’ve got to really focus.
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"The more you focus and the more you listen, the more you're going to go further in this journey. It really matters.
Joey Essex and Vanessa Bauer are paired up on the latest series of Dancing on Ice (ITV)Do you enjoy reading about celebrities? Sign up for all the best celeb news from the Mirror .
"Who would I rather be shouted at by, Vanessa or Foxy? Depends on what it was about!
"Vanessa is very strict. She's on point. She's very understanding, but at the same time, she gives me more confidence.
"If I wasn't doing well, she'll say, 'You’re slacking', but she knows when I'm putting all my effort into this, she knows I'm trying my hardest."
The pair are rumoured to be dating, having instantly hit it off when they were introduced by show bosses four months ago.
Since then they have been regularly snapped cuddling rink side, 26-year-old Vanessa has been spotted at his Essex mansion and ITV insiders say they are inseparable backstage.
The pair are keeping fans guessing as Joey refuses to confirm or completely deny their partnership has become more than professional.
But gushing about his glamorous sidekick, Joey says: "Vanessa's my secret weapon. I'm just going with it and listening to Vanessa, and whatever she says, I'll go with!"
They performed their first routine together earlier this month (Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)And it seems she is having quite the impact on him, even when he sleeps.
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"I'm dreaming of Vanessa!" he adds. "I get sweaty palms and feet at night because I'm going through the routine in my head while I'm trying to sleep.
"I'm laying there and I'm like, 'Am I asleep yet?' And I open my eyes and I'm like, 'Oh no, I'm going through the routine again'.
"I've definitely had nightmares that I've skated out there and it goes wrong because I don’t want that to happen."
The couple are going to set tongues wagging again with their choice for this weekend's musicals night when they will recreate the iconic fairground scene from hit flick Grease.
They have decided to take to the ice as John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s alter egos Danny Zuko and Sandy.
So is he looking forward to seeing the brunette turn into a hot leather-clad blonde for the night?
"Oh, she makes a gorgeous Sandy," he says. "She's got the whole Sandy outfit going on, she's going to be right dolled up, she's going to have blonde hair, and I'm going to have a leather jacket.
"We're going to give Sandy and Danny Zuko a run for their money. It's going to be epic, the T-Bird and the Pink Lady. That’s going to be sick.
"I'm channelling John Travolta. This is my chance to shine. This is my chance to be Danny Zuko.
"I've always said that I was inspired by Danny Zuko with his leather jacket. In the early days I would always wear a leather jacket.
"So this is my chance to bring it back, bring it back from the 50s and bring it back from my early days, as well!"
They have made it through to musicals week (Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Their routine will be inspired by Grease (Paramount Pictures/Fotos International/Getty Images)Joey rose to fame in 2011 when he was introduced to telly fans on The Only Way Is Essex.
As the cousin of TOWIE original Chloe Simms, he was brought in as a supporting cast member but quickly became a fan favourite thanks to his dim-witted one-liners and childlike antics, including admitting he cannot tell the time.
But behind his sparkling white smile, the 32-year-old has suffered terrible tragedy.
When he was just 10 years old his mum, Tina, took her own life after a battle with depression and Joey has admitted he buried his grief for over two decades.
Speaking about his mum's death, Joey says it made him tougher.
"Growing up wasn't easy. I had to deal with a lot of sh**. It hardened me up a little bit. I can't explain it. It's made me tougher inside.
"I only sort of started being able to talk about it openly, saying the word 'Mum', three or four years ago.
"I know my mum loved me. But it has given me trust issues. One day she was there, one day she was gone."
Despite his heartbreak, Joey's become one of the wealthiest reality stars in Britain, amassing an estimated £6million fortune.
Joey is among the celebrities taking part in the latest series of the ITV show (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)But despite his success, he says he still feels as if he needs to prove himself, especially out on the ice. "I think I'm very underestimated, I feel like a lot of people think, 'Oh, Joey's not about to do this. He's going to fall over or he hasn't got it in him'.
"I've definitely grown up. This is really my chance to show people I’ve got my head screwed on, I’m not just silly all the time. You know what I mean?
"I suppose there's a little bit more of a serious side to me, I mean business. I've always been competitive all my life. So I’m glad I can show it."
One thing he doesn't have to prove is just how fit he is.
After months of training on the ice, Joey says he is in the best shape of his life and was quick to flash his toned torso during his chat backstage. "I've definitely lost weight around my body," he says, holding up his shirt. "I'm constantly skating. In my eyes it's like going for a 10k run every day. And I can burn fat very quickly.
"I've not weighed myself. I just look a lot more skinny round my waist. Skating gets you a big bum and then you lose weight around your abs, around your core. I've got a six-pack.
"I'm not complaining. I'm like, 'Look… that's fighter's talk'."
So is he ready to show off his new physique that would give a prize fighter a run for their money?
He laughs: "I'm sure I’ll get my chance to take my top off! I'm up for it... anything to win more votes!"
Dancing On Ice continues on ITV1 on Sunday at 6.25pm.