Olympians and World Champions among cast revealed for Blackpool’s iconic Hot Ice show.
Meet the stars of Hot Ice XC- celebrating 90 years of excellence. Ice skaters from around the globe have just arrived in Blackpool, ready to commence rehearsals for a new show 90 years in the making.
Pleasure Beach Resort has revealed the cast that will take to the ice this summer in its new production, Hot Ice XC, marking nine decades of ice shows at the resort.
In that time, The Pleasure Beach Arena has built a legacy for playing host to some of the best names in skating.
Alumni include Dancing on Ice professional Simon Proulx-Sénécal, former Olympian and now show’s choreographer Oula Jääskeläinen, and Robin Cousins MBE, who graced the ice following his Olympic gold medal triumph.
Hot Ice XC looks set to continue that tradition in style, welcoming 13 fresh faces into its ensemble of 30 skating stars, who have travelled from as far as Japan, Finland and America.
Among the additions are Russian pair, Apollinariia Panfilova and Dmirty Rylov. The duo bring an impressive resume to the line-up, having claimed junior titles at both Olympic and World standard.
Also adding Olympic pedigree is Shawn Sawyer. A 2006 Winter Olympian, four-time national championship medallist and Cirque du Soleil performer, the Canadian returns for a second year to captivate audiences with his talents.
Alongside the internationally diverse cast, the production proudly celebrates its local roots too, showcasing homegrown talents James Horrocks, Nadia Craggs, Francesca Guerin and Jasmine Robinson.
Robinson’s inclusion makes her the third generation of her family to perform in Pleasure Beach ice shows. Her grandmother, Inge Robinson, previously headlined the show, while her father, two-time British national champion and former Olympian, Paul Robinson featured in its 1980’s iteration.Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort and producer of Hot Ice said: “Hot Ice is one of the most physically and technically demanding shows around, to achieve that you need the very best. Our skaters are hand-picked with the goal in mind of creating the most spectacular and breathtaking performance. We want to celebrate 90 years by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on ice and prove why skating at Pleasure Beach Resort will always be unmissable.”
Completing the cast of talented skaters: Moa Ronnholm, Maika Sugihara, Maria Egawa, Marisa Yoda, Anna Kublikova, Airi Suzuki, Anastasiia Dubyk, Sophie Bijkerk, Veronica Deppi, Sofia Pucherova and Amanda Daniel.
They will be joined by male skaters: Reo Ishizuka, Lukasz Kedzierski, Matthew Markell, Shota Kajimoto, Nikita Lysak, Emilie Couture, Daniil Kiryakov, Corley Lovett, Lilian Binzari, Alexander Maszljanko, Jacob Nussle, Piero Joel Lopez Moreno and speciality act Alexey Kofanov.
The cast of olympians, world champions and acclaimed skaters will take to the ice on July 9, and will run until September 10.
Guests can see all 30 skating stars in action by booking tickets at: https://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/shows/hot-ice/
Review by Richard Lambert (to follow – Press Night is Thursday 9 July)
Background Information
Blackpool has been at the heart of British seaside tourism for more than 150 years. The town was the first in the world to illuminate its streets with electric lighting in 1879, pioneered Britain’s oldest continuously operating electric tramway in 1885, and is home to the iconic Blackpool Tower, which has stood on soft coastal sands since 1894. Its famous Illuminations, historic piers, Victorian theatres and Tower Ballroom have helped establish Blackpool as one of Britain’s most significant visitor destinations, attracting millions of holidaymakers and shaping the modern seaside holiday.
At the centre of Blackpool’s tourism story is Blackpool Pleasure Beach, one of the world’s oldest and most historic amusement parks. Opened in 1896 by William George Bean after a visit to Coney Island, the park was originally created simply to encourage passengers to stay on the tram until the end of the line. More than 125 years later, it remains family-owned by Bean’s descendants, making it one of the few major theme parks in the world still run by its founding family. Despite occupying just 42 acres, Pleasure Beach is home to more than 125 rides and attractions, making it one of Europe’s most densely packed amusement parks and one of the UK’s most visited paid attractions, welcoming around five to six million visitors each year.
The park has played a pioneering role in roller coaster history. The Big One made international headlines when it opened in 1994 as both the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, becoming the first coaster anywhere to exceed 200 feet. Its collection also includes some of the world’s most significant historic rides, including The Big Dipper (1923), one of the few surviving pre-war wooden roller coasters; Nickelodeon Streak (1933), Britain’s oldest operating roller coaster; and Grand National (1935), one of the world’s last remaining racing wooden roller coasters. Pleasure Beach has repeatedly introduced major innovations, including Europe’s first modern looping roller coaster, Revolution, Britain’s first inverted coaster, Avalanche, and Valhalla, one of the world’s largest indoor water rides. The park is also home to River Caves, one of the oldest continuously operating dark rides anywhere in the world.
Throughout its history, Blackpool Pleasure Beach has shown remarkable resilience. It has never permanently closed since opening in 1896, remaining operational through two World Wars and periods of economic hardship, with its only complete shutdown occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During the Second World War, parts of the park supported RAF training while attractions continued to entertain service personnel stationed in the town. Today, Pleasure Beach contributes an estimated £300 million to the local economy each year and employs more than 2,000 people during the peak season, remaining not only one of Britain’s best-loved attractions but also one of its most historically important amusement parks.