Suzanne Shaw: Back on her dancing feet

Suzanne Shaw’s tears at being voted off TV’s Dancing on Ice were short-lived. Millions could see the devastation on the actress and singer’s face. As one of the favourites, she had hoped to go all the way to the final of the last series of the ITV show.

But just days after the judges unanimously voted off the 2008 winner of the show, her feet were firmly back on the ground.

“I suddenly realised that it was just a television show,” says the former Emmerdale actress and member of Hear’say, the band created by the reality TV show Popstars.

“Being the final series everything just got so serious and although we did have fun, they don’t show that. As it is Jane and Chris’s (Torville and Dean) last series it upped the pressure even more and everyone took it so much more seriously than before. It seems to have lost its fun.

“It is only since taking myself out of that bubble that I can get it back into perspective.”

Despite coming to terms with being out of the show, she is busy getting ready for the live tour of Dancing on Ice which is coming to Sheffield and Leeds in April.

Shaw is no stranger to Yorkshire. She lived in Leeds for a year while in Emmerdale and when she was married to DJ Jason King (of JK and Joel) until they divorced in 2012, the same year her father died.

Actor Darren Day, father to her son Corey, also lives in Barnsley.

Now in a relationship with businessman Sam Greenfield, she says she is happier than she has been in a long time.

She is busy writing her own musical and is also rumoured to be talks with ITV about joining the panel of Loose Women.

Although work is important to Shaw, she says being a mother to Corey comes first.

And that’s why her health is particularly important to her.

She revealed that she started suffering ill-health and poor digestion about ten years ago.

“I would feel really bloated and started suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I was in France for a while eating lots of bread and cheeses and was really suffering. I came back and visited a nutritionist who said I could have an intolerance to milk and wheat and so I decided to cut it out of my diet.”

After trying numerous alternatives, Shaw had resigned herself to drinking black coffee and cutting out her staple breakfast cereal in the absence of something that could fill the void without a sour after-taste.

Yet, an introduction to Yorkshire based St Helen’s Farm and its goats’ milk products at the end of last year made a significant difference to her life,

Suzanne was compelled to write to the dairy farm to share her story and her sincere appreciation that her morning coffee regime could be resumed without any sacrifices.

“I was a bit nervous about giving it to Corey but I didn’t say anything and after he’d had a glass he said: ‘Mummy that milk was delicious’. It was such a relief.”

Following tradition, the Yorkshire-based goat producers have now 
made Suzanne and her 
son, Corey, carton stars, printing their story on thousands of milk cartons on sale in Tesco and Sainsbury’s this month.

“I feel so much better,” says Suzanne. “It really helps not having to worry about my health.”

• Dancing on Ice Final Live Tour 2014 will be at Sheffield: Motorpoint Arena on April 15 - 17 (Suzanne Shaw will not perform on Thursday, April 17) for details call 0114 256 5656 and Leeds: First Direct Arena on Saturday April 26 and Sunday April 27 call 0844 248 1585 for details. Suzanne Shaw will be joined by celebrities Beth Tweddle, Bonnie Langford, Gareth Gates, Ray Quinn, Kyran Bracken, Hayley Tamaddon and comedian Joe Pasquale.