ICE dancer Sophie Wright is the star of a new BBC 2 comedy show about her cut-throat sport.

The Altrincham teenager was recommended for the part by her coach Karen Barber, a judge on the hit ITV contest Dancing On Ice.

Thin Ice is set in a fictional Derby Ice Bowl and follows Trisha, played by 16-year-old Sophie, as she aims for a British title. But the real competition in the wry comedy is between coaches Jeanette and Barbara.

Sophie, who appears as Sophie Portland on the credits, said: "I watched the first episode on Tuesday night and was really pleased.

"Everyone looked fantastic but it was a bit weird seeing myself on TV. In the past I have done some competitive skating that has been televised and studied drama at school, but this is very different.

"The BBC came to Blackburn where I train with Karen. They tested lots of us but I managed to get the part. We filmed the show in Whitley Bay, even though it's set in the fictional Derby Ice Bowl.

Experience

"It was amazing experience. We filmed six episodes over seven weeks, and were on set for about 12 hours a day. They were early starts but I'm used to that."

Sophie, who lives on Dunham Road and attended Christ the King School in Altrincham, gets up at 5.30am four days a week and makes the 80-mile round trip to the nearest ice rink in Blackburn.

But there is the prospect of an end to her gruelling travel schedule after Trafford Council gave permission for a new ice rink to be built in Altrincham earlier this year.

Last year she won a bronze medal in the British Ice Dancing finals, the competition her character Trisha is aiming for in the show.

Thin Ice, which also stars Ian Ashpitel, screens on Tuesdays on BBC 2 at 10pm. Tweet