Connor Ball is hoping his Scottish granny will be his lucky mascot when he competes in Dancing on Ice for the first time on Sunday.
The Vamps bassist, 25, who was born in Aberdeen, is thrilled his granny Isobel Fowlie will travel from the Granite City to London to cheer him on.
He said: “I hope my granny will be my lucky Scottish mascot as she will be in the audience on Sunday. I want to do her proud and get through my first week without being in the skate-off.
“She’s been a big fan of the show for years and years. She’s so excited I’m on it.”
Connor’s mum Kelly Ball, 47, will also be in the audience at the purpose-built rink at RAF Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, where the show is made, along with his Vamps bandmates.
He’s also hoping his girlfriend Lucy Moore can be there and his grandpa, John, Isobel’s husband, will also travel to London but can’t go to the show because there’s not enough tickets.
Connor added: “My grandma is buzzing. She’s seen all the training and she’s a massive fan of Holly (Willoughby). She loves Holly. Maybe she’s coming down to see her. I’ll need to set up a way of them meeting.”
After last week’s first show, Ria Hebden and her professional partner Luckasz Rozycki got the fewest votes and will be in Sunday’s first skate-off.
Who they’ll be up against we’ll find out after the second load of celebs skate on Sunday.
The musician is hoping Scotland can get behind him and his skating pro partner Alexandra Schauman – especially as he’s the one celeb from north of the Border on the show which is presented by Holly and Phillip Schofield with the judging panel of Oti Mabuse, Ashley Banjo, Ashley Torvill and Christopher Dean.
He said: “As the only Scot I hope everyone up there can get behind me whether I’m good or bad. I appreciate the votes.
“I’m nervous about Sunday and just want to try my best and get through it. I don’t think I’ll win the show but I just want to give it my best shot and see how far I can go.”
Alongside his Vamps bandmates, Tristan Evans, James Brittain-McVey and Brad Simpson, Connor has had two UK No1 albums including their last, Cherry Blossom in 2020. Since 2013, they’ve had a string of top five hits including Can We Dance and Last Night.
Connor was also awarded Scottish Fashion Icon of the Year in 2015.
Despite being a pop star, he claims he’s a stranger to fake tan.
“Nope. Honestly, I’ve never had one,” he said “I’m nervous, but excited to get one.”
His Vamps buddies will be coming down on Sunday to cheer him on – possibly to fall.
He laughed: “As long as I don’t do a Gemma Collins and just fall straight on the face. I have been worried about that.
“My friends are saying, ‘Can’t wait to see you it’s going to be so funny’. I’m like it’s not meant to be funny. They just want me to fall over.
“The rest of The Vamps and all my friends are going to take the mickey when they see me in Lycra, sequins and fake tan. Honestly, they are more excited about that than anything else.
“I find wearing Lycra and sequins more scary than the actual
skating. But you have to do it all 100 per cent if you’re going to do Dancing on Ice.
“I haven’t seen what I’m wearing yet. But I think it’ll be less of the Superman more of the Noodle-man.”
The Scot admitted while he’s been training two or three hours a day, six days a week, he’s also been hitting the gym five or six times a week to beef himself up. Feeling self-conscious about his guns.
He said: “I’d like to try the dreaded headbanger but I’ve seen how the guy pros throw their partners around. I don’t want to drop Alex on her head. So I’ve been getting to the gym to make sure I don’t have noodle arms.”
While he might be worrying about what he looks like, Connor definitely has the Braveheart spirit – and while admitting he doesn’t feel ready for Sunday, he has thrown himself into skating.
It’s a series that has seen many celebs injured and already this year Rachel Stevens has had to pull out of her first skate on Sunday as she recovers from a fractured wrist. She is due to return the following Sunday.
Bez, who has teamed up with Scottish reigning pro-skater champ Angela Egan, had to wear a melon crash helmet on the first show as a precaution and tested positive for Covid the day after.
He too is expected to be back for week three. Connor joked: “I don’t feel the pressure because that’s what I signed up for. I’ve got no fear. I want to do the next trick. I keep asking Alex, ‘Can you teach me something new? Can we do this lift?’
“I don’t want to be out of the show so you have to be a bit mindful. But it is a dangerous sport and unfortunately these things happen and you just have to be careful.
“If you start to worry about falling or hurting yourself too often, I feel it might hinder your performance.”
Connor took girlfriend Lucy to New York for Christmas and videoed himself skating on Christmas Day showing off his new skills.
But he admitted: “I told Alex and she was like, ‘Don’t hurt yourself. Don’t fall over’. She’s a great teacher.
“Really chilled and we have a great laugh. So far we haven’t had any arguments or fall-outs.” Finnish skating pro Alexandra has been on the show since 2010 when she partnered Dr Hilary Jones.
Last year she was partnered with Jason Donovan who had to quit due to a back injury.
She’s married to fellow Dancing on Ice pro Lukasz Rozycki.
This year is shaping up to be a busy one for Connor, who lives in Birmingham. As well as Dancing on Ice and The Vamps, he has started his own band, The Lunar Year, and the duo will begin touring in the spring.
He said: “I just want to do stuff that’s a new challenge. I’ve never danced, never really skated.
“So I just want to jump in the deep end and be out of my comfort zone.”
● Dancing on Ice is on STV at 6.30pm on Sunday.
