DANCING On Ice star Joey Essex has issued a warning about the show – saying viewers don't realise how "dangerous" it can be after he nearly "chopped off" his finger.
The TV favourite, who finished in second place on the ITV skating competition last year with pro Vanessa Bauer, also revealed that he is still going to the hospital a year on after injuring his shin on the show.
Joey, 33, admitted that the "six month" process can take a lot of out you mentally and physically.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Joey shared some words of wisdom for the new batch of celebrities ahead of the new series: "Don't fall over, that causes injuries and don't get too confident on day one otherwise you'll potentially see your knuckle, I nearly cut my finger off.
"It's healed quite well but I also hurt my shin. It's alright but I went to the hospital yesterday. It's minor injuries but you have to be careful because you're on ice.
"People don't realise that these TV shows are not a joke, it's really hard and it's harder than it looks.
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"It's like anything, it's like SAS: Who Dares Wins, people watching TV don't realise how dangerous these show are but actually being there, it's so different."
He added: "Just be confident and you have to be committed as well, it's not a couple of weeks, it's six months work, six months graft because you've got to do three months of training and then obviously if you want to get to the final then that's another three months. So you've basically got to be very fully committed."
Joey was rushed to hospital days into his training for Dancing On Ice.
The reality star tipped backwards and almost chopped his finger off with his own skate.
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At the time, he explained: “As I was skating on the first day around the rink, everyone had their hands over their faces, like, he’s gonna hurt himself because I was falling over a lot.
"They said, ‘You need to slow down. We know you’re having fun, but relax.’ I was being funny and was like, ‘Yeah I will. I don’t want to lose my finger!’
“Then within ten seconds I fell over backwards and my hand went under my skate and there was blood everywhere.
"They thought I was joking because of what we’d just been saying. ‘Expect drama, expect risk’
“All I remember is a producer yelling, ‘No he’s being serious! His finger!’
"I could see the bone.
"Four medics came over with a stretcher.”
Joey made it all the way to the final but missed out on the top spot after Olympic artistic gymnast Nile Wilson was crowned champion.
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