Dancing On Ice star Joey Essex’s heartbreaking reason behind semi-final song choice
DANCING On Ice’s Joey Essex has dedicated a routine to his mum Tina who took her own life when he was 10.
The ex-Towie star, 32, will skate to High by Lighthouse Family in the semi-final tonight with his pro partner Vanessa Bauer.
He said: “It’s a song that’s very close to my heart. It’s very personal to me and it’s always made me remember my mum.
“I know she loved me, she loved my sister, she loved my dad, she loved my family and my family loved her – she was very loved.”
He continued: “Sometimes I think to myself, little Joey sitting in the back of the car and then to now.”
“My mum would be very proud of me. I know she’s looking down on me and she will be on Sunday night.”
Tina took her own life in 2001 after a battle with depression and Joey says he still struggles because he never processed her death at the time.
He briefly opened up while taking part in Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins in 2020 about her death.
Joey said: “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.”
Meanwhile Coronation Street actress Mollie Gallagher, 25, will pay tribute to Sophie Lancaster – who was murdered by a “feral” gang of teenagers in a savage attack in 2007.
Mollie, whose storyline as Nina Lucas in the soap mirrored tragic murder, said: “Being able to tell Sophie’s story has been the biggest achievement for me and I’m just beyond grateful to be able to get that conversation going.”
Dancing on Ice continues at 6:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.