Simon was 12 when he saw the 50th anniversary celebration show and loved the "costumes and the glamour and glitz of it all".

Now Simon is appearing in the shows himself and, aged just 26, has been working for Holiday on Ice for nine years.

Of Mystery, he said he loved the Goblin Forest: "I wasn't in Mystery from the beginning and was amazed when I first saw the goblins. Nothing has been done like this before. And the set is so extravagant."

Robin Cousins

This is the third Robin Cousins production Simon has been in. "I love working with Robin and his footwork and choreography is so challenging for a skater," he said.

"Robin is my idol. He has a talent to be able to move his arms and body in a way you think is not possible."

Simon, from Eastbourne, started skating at the age of 11. He had to commute to Guildford when the rink at Brighton closed.

He spent three years in competition but had to stop through injury. "

Performing buzz

"You get more of a buzz from doing a show than performing for a couple of minutes to a jury," he said.

"I love what I do. You get an instant reaction from the audience."

Lauren Taylor was given the main part of Alice in her first show with Holiday on Ice.

"I hadn't seen the show and didn't have any idea what it was like," she said.

"I only got to see the full show later on video after I had joined.

"I get to do solo skating and act my character as Alice – a bit of everything."

Taste for performance

Originally from Spain, she moved to Sheffield to train and go to university and up to a year ago was competing.

"I've been watching the shows for years.

"I was towards the end of my competitive career and had done some smaller shows and got a taste.

"Holiday on Ice is the big one and I wanted to join."

Record breaker

It's not as easy as Lauren imagined, with training, rehearsals and a different audience every night.

"I always enjoyed competing but here nobody is judging you. You are here to please the audience."

Lauren was one of the 65 skaters who took part in a record breaking wheel this year.

"One day there was the full rehearsal and the next day we were live on TV," she said. "It was so much fun and went really well."

Inspired by show

It is the third year with Holiday on Ice for Alyson Lammie, 23, who has spent that whole time with Mystery.

A skater for 12 years, she competed but much prefers shows.

"Holiday on Ice was the reason I started skating," she said.

"I saw a show in Cardiff with my dad and decided I wanted to try it and I was a natural.

"I loved the costumes and the glamour. I will be in Cardiff in February skating in the show.

Brighton Tigers

"My dad was an ice hockey player in Brighton and used to take me. He taught me the basic stuff but I naturally developed very fast.

"I love Brighton. My grandparents lived there and I would go every summer.

"My grandmother didn't get to see me in the show. She missed it by six months."

Alyson hopes to go to university and study stage design after spending some time in Holiday on Ice shows and is already learning alongside skating. She is also learning trapeze work.

Fantastic venue

One of the goblins in Mystery, she said it was fun to skate. "I'm one of the only ones who hasn't fallen after three years in the costume."

Principal skater Trevor Buttenham is looking forward to Brighton.

"I love coming to Brighton," he said.

"It's a fantastic city and venue – small ice but intimate and the audience are right on top of you.

"It's right in the city centre and we are going to be there for four weeks, so we have an extra day off as Mondays we usually travel.

What's your sign?

"It's great to be near London so we can go and watch other people perform – that's one of my favourite things."

From Canada, Trevor, 31, performs with Colleen Moyer in Journey Home, What's Your Sign? and Danse Macabre as part of Mystery.

Skating Gemini as part of What's Your Sign? he said was exhausting.

"It's three minutes at a sprint but when we get the audience going at the beginning it makes the number go faster and it's easy.

"The audience is the whole reason we're here.

Fantastic group

"It is useless as a performer unless someone is out there receiving that energy and giving it back."

Trevor first set foot on the ice at the age of two and competed until about 10 years ago.

He joined Holiday on Ice in 2002 and has skated in In Concert, Pinochio, Peter Pan and 1001 Arabian Nights.

"I enjoy it. It's a great way to travel with a fantastic group of people.

"There are about 40 skaters all wanting to be the centre of attention. It's a blast."

Tickets

Tickets range from £14 to £28, with all children at £10 (subject to a booking fee). Group discounts are available.

The Brighton Centre box office is on 08448 471538, the national booking line on 08705 321321 or go to

www.brightoncentre.co.uk

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