Joey Essex looked smart and sophisticated when he stepped out with Dancing On Ice partner Vanessa Bauer at an awards ceremony.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star attended the TV Choice Awards on Monday evening alongside his partner for the popular ITV ice dancing show, which gets under way early in 2023.
Training has already began for the dangerous programme as celebrities try to hone their ice skating skills ahead of its return in the new year after some big names signed up for the 15th series of the dance competition, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
Reigning Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu will take to the ice alongside former England striker John Fashanu, Olympic bronze medalist Nile Wilson, former Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton and RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne - who will be the first drag artist to participate.
Joey has already suffered his first blow since signing up for the show, suffering an injured middle right finger on his second day of training. It is reported that the reality TV star and his 26-year-old German partner have grown a 'strong connection' amid dating rumours.
The pair were contrasting with their outfits at the TV Choice Awards, with Joey wearing an black tuxedo, black shirt and black shoes to go with a new look curtained styled hairstyle as he beamed next to Vanessa, who was wearing a floating white dress.
Joey has previously spoken about his ambition to win Dancing On Ice, telling ITV’s This Morning : "I would love to win. I’m going to put all my energy into this. This stage in my life, I’m so ready for this."
Vanessa has an impressive record since joining the show in 2017, winning in her debut series alongside reality star Jake Quickenden. She has also finished as runner-up with Love Island's Wes Nelson, Diversity dancer Perri Kiely and ballroom dancer Brendan Cole, while she was forced to withdraw in February 2021 after her and Emmerdale actor Joe-Warren Plant tested positive for coronavirus.
Since stepping away from TOWIE in 2013, the 32-year-old has been a feature on many other reality TV shows, including I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Celebrity MasterChef and Celebs Go Dating.
He also fronted two of his own shows, Educating Joey Essex, which was narrated by This Morning star Phillip Schofield and saw him interview political heavyweights, and Joey Essex: Grief And Me, a BBC documentary about him losing his mother at a young age.
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