Linda Lusardi is feeling short today. Her coveted heels are gathering dust and instead she’s living in flat fluffy boots – all thanks to a broken foot.
Well, if you will put yourself up for Dancing On Ice… ‘Look carefully on Emmerdale and you’ll see that I’ve shrunk,’ laughs the petite 5ft 5in actress.
‘My co-star Nick Miles (who plays Jimmy King) is 6ft 3in, so now I look like I’m practically sitting on the floor.’
Linda had only laced up her skates for the first time and taken her maiden twirl on the ice when she tripped backwards, landed on her foot, dislocated it and fractured her metatarsal. Quite (ahem) a feat. ‘It was so painful,’ she says. ‘I’d never broken anything before. And the physiotherapist literally had to push the bones back in place. Luckily she didn’t tell me what she was doing or I’d have passed out.’
Thankfully, Linda was allowed back on the rink after just two we;eks. ‘The boot is like a cast supporting my ankle, so they let me keep training. But getting back on the ice was scary.’
In keeping with all things chilly, we mocked up a snowy alpine scene for Linda to don some rather stylish winter trends. Looking very cute, it’s hard to believe she’ll be 50 this year.
‘I’m not very wrinkled for my age, but neither is my mum, so I guess I’ve got good genes,’ she laughs. ‘But I wouldn’t say no to a nip or tuck when I’m 55. I’ve seen so many successful ops, but they only write about the bad ones. Millions of celebs have had stuff done that you don’t know about – if it’s done well. Having a younger husband (ex-Brookside actor Sam Kane, 39) also keeps me youthful. He has a young mental attitude, and buys most of my clothes too. He just loves shopping. What a perfect man. And gorgeous. What more could I want?’
With all the training she’s been doing on the ice, it’s not just looking youthful that’s a necessity. Feeling spritely is a handy attribute too, especially with the amount of hours required to even learn the basics. While it might be hard work, the upside is she’s certainly noticed a difference in her physique since she started tearing up the rink…
‘On top of working on Emmerdale, I’ve been training for two hours, four days a week. I’ll tell you what, I’m looking forward to getting myself measured. We were all measured at the start for our costumes – every inch of us. I can’t wait to compare my thigh sizes. They’re still big for me, but they’re shrinking.’
In fact, Linda’s convinced it’s the best full body workout around – if you can stand the cold (and the inevitable tumbles).
‘It’s perfect for a woman, as it tones your legs, thighs, bum and tummy. My bottom is lifting daily. I’ll end up with a pert bum and thin thighs. My husband has noticed the difference too, particularly as I only see him at weekends thanks to filming in Leeds and the family living in London.’
She’s not overly body conscious (as a former Page 3 pin-up, you wouldn’t be), but Linda reckons her busy schedule at Emmerdale has resulted in her being the least fit she’s ever been. ‘I just don’t have the time,’ she says.
‘But having said that, I keep a tab on things. If I know I’ve been awful for three days, eating Indian takeaways and drinking wine, I’ll pull back for three days. It’s a balance.’
But since starting Dancing On Ice she’s eating more than ever. ‘I’m starving all the time,’ she laughs. ‘I should be drinking more water too, but it’s hard to remember. You forget you’re getting dehydrated because it’s so cold in training. And boozy nights out are a no-no. It’s dangerous to skate with a hangover, because your balance is all wrong. And, to be honest, I’d probably throw up in the spins. The first time Daniel Whiston, my partner, span me I felt sick for two hours and that wasn’t hangover-induced. So there’s only a select few nights I can get paralytic.’
Husband Sam and her two children Lucy, 11, and Jack, eight, are going to be Linda’s primary cheerleaders in the audience when the show starts.
‘Sam’s so excited and proud of me. Unfortunately, he’s in panto for the first half of the show, so he’ll only be able to watch towards the end. But my parents will be there and the kids too. They are so excited and they’re already planning their banners. I’ve taken them to some training sessions and Dan has played with them. They’re fearless.’
With her hectic schedule, training and working in Leeds (and only coming home to London at weekends), Linda says the one thing she’d cherish is more time with the family. Hence the fact she’s quitting the soap this year.
‘When you have kids an important shift happens in your life and you become less ambitious. So I feel like I’ve done my thing at Emmerdale, and 2008 is all about them. They missed out on a holiday last year, so we’re going to rectify that. Emmerdale is a 100% commitment – it’s not a job it’s a lifestyle.’
As with anyone leaving a soap, the question is, is Linda’s character Carrie Nicholls going out with a bang, or sloping off to the Bermuda Triangle to (potentially) re-emerge a few years later?
‘Well, my leaving story centres around an old flame from the past,’ she says. ‘And the lovely twist is he’s played by my real husband Sam. I was thrilled they cast him to be the guy who comes and exits me from the show. And we get to film together too.’
As for Linda’s next step, she’s keen to get her teeth into other things. ‘I hope Emmerdale’s put me on the map as an actress,’ she says. ‘So it would be nice to try some TV dramas. Having said that I’m really going to miss the cast, especially Charley Webb, who plays Debbie. We’re inseparable. We have flats opposite one another in Yorkshire and we’re always gossiping. And Nick Miles is a lovely gent to work with. I really hope to stay in touch. But for now, I just want to do well in the ice dancing.’
With her family, friends and Emmerdale cast cheering her on, and the power of the sequin, of course – we’re sure she’ll have that perfect six in no time.
LINDA’S TIPS FOR LOOKING GOOD…
‘Sleep. That’s why I look so rough today. If you don’t get enough sleep, your brain doesn’t work and you catch more germs. My main downfall is I don’t drink enough water. And it’s really important, especially when you have an injury. Also, I always take my make-up off at the end of the day. And moisturise.’
FAMILY AFFAIR
With both parents in the acting and entertainment biz, it’s no surprise that Linda’s daughter Lucy goes to drama school and son Jack is a good singer. ‘Lucy’s just got the part of Annie in the school production,’ says Linda. ‘I’ve got no doubt she’ll end up in the business. It doesn’t worry me, but we’ve definitely hung back with her as she’s so young. She sang on the Charlotte’s Web soundtrack and had the chance to really take off, but I feel she has plenty of time. She has to have a childhood. Jack, on the other hand, is also a good singer, but he’s more sporty. He likes his judo.’
ON HER DANCING ON ICE COMPETITORS…
‘I’m just trying to get as good as I can. Some of the other girls like Suzanne Shaw and Samantha Mumba are dance trained, which helps, and I’m not. And Hollyoaks’ Christopher Fountain is an ice hockey player. I can’t achieve any of that in such a short time, so I’m not going to start comparing myself. I’m hoping that because I’m shorter, balancing will be easier – they can fling me around a bit more.’
Watch Dancing On Ice tonight, ITV1, 5.50pm and 8.50pm. And see Emmerdale, Sunday-Friday on ITV1 at 7pm
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