FOX Announces Skating With Celebrities Participants  9/6/05

SIX CELEBRITIES WILL PARTNER WITH SIX PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATERS FOR THE ULTIMATE PAIRS COMPETITION AS FOX'S "SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES" ANNOUNCES PARTICIPANTS

Nancy Kerrigan, Kurt Browning and Tai Babilonia Among Pro Skaters to Skate with Celebrities Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton to Host Show Olympic Gold Medalist Dorothy Hamill to be a Judge of Competition

SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES will partner six famous personalities with six professional figure skaters to compete for an unprecedented figure skating title on FOX. Hosted by Olympic gold medalist and world champion Scott Hamilton, the competition will feature some of the most recognized and celebrated names in professional figure skating and a mix of celebrities who span a wide spectrum within the entertainment industry.

The celebrity/professional figure skater pairs are:

ß Actor/comedian Dave Coulier ("Full House") with two-time Olympic figure skating medalist Nancy Kerrigan;

ß Olympic decathlon gold medalist and television personality Bruce Jenner with world champion pairs figure skater Tai Babilonia;

ß Actor Todd Bridges ("Diff'rent Strokes") with three-time U.S. national pairs figure skating champion and world championship medalist Jenni Meno;

ß Actress Kristy Swanson ("Dude, Where's My Car?", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") with two-time Olympic pairs figure skating medalist and world champion Lloyd Eisler;

ß Singer/songwriter/actress Deborah Gibson with four-time world figure skating champion Kurt Browning;

ß Television personality, reporter and weather forecaster Jillian Barberie ("Good Day LA," "Fox NFL Sunday," "Good Morning, Miami") with three-time U.S. pairs figure skating champion and world championship medalist John Zimmerman.

Over the course of six themed episodes, the celebrities and their professional partners will perform figure skating routines that will challenge the celebs' athletic and artistic abilities and push them to prepare and perform in ways they've never done before. Each episode will test the pairs' skills as they demonstrate whether they can successfully pull off original and challenging skating sequences – or whether they'll freeze under pressure.

"For most people, it's tough enough to learn these types of moves while on the dance floor or working out in the gym," said FOX's executive vice president of alternative programming, Mike Darnell. "This competition will require our celebrity skaters to not only demonstrate rhythm, but also athleticism, grace and balance … on ice, and before a team of unforgiving judges with both Olympic and world championship experience. No doubt there will be plenty of falls, bruises and scary moments."

"All of the celebrities in the competition not only have the ability to skate, but the desire to excel and become great. What's really interesting is that even at the training level, a competition between the pairs is already developing," said executive producer Arthur Smith.

Olympic gold medalist, world figure skating champion and American icon Dorothy Hamill will be one of the judges of the unique competition. Hamill, with her extensive expertise on all aspects of the sport and artistry of skating, will help decide which pairs move forward in the competition and who is eliminated.

The six pairs will each have the benefit of working with a professional figure skating choreographer during the competition. Five-time U.S. national ice dance champion and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Michael Seibert, U.S. and world figure skating champion and director/choreographer Randy Gardner and three-time U.S. ice dance champion Renee Roca are working with the pairs to help craft the challenging and exciting routines they will perform in each episode.

SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES is produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions. Arthur Smith and Kent Weed are executive producers.

- FOX -