After the upset of losing the Angels and the Slap Shots last week, I arrived at the stadium knowing that nothing can be taken for granted and that whoever I wanted to do well or put my good scores into was not guaranteed a place in the next round. The studio audience vote was proving to be erratic and surprising, but then isn’t that just what this TV show format has shown in the past (with Strictly come Dancing and the Ice version). This week the remaining teams roll up to the Skate Stadium for a special circus-themed edition.

Ringmasters Sam Rhodes and Mark Nixon present the proceedings, which feature roller routines with acrobats, clowns, strongmen, jugglers – and tigers.

“OK Asha, you are next” came the shout from the studio manager and there I was approaching a very darkened centre stake (I had thought the studio was empty but actually they had been setting up this next shot. We were about to film the sequences that would be used in the Judges Introductions. I stood on the mark feeling very nervous as I had no idea of what they wanted me to say or do. Jo from make up came out and topped me up with gloss and powder etc which added to te nerves. Then I had my instructions. “Look stern and follow the camera with your eyes”. Stern? How stern? Should my eyebrows be wrinkling this much, am I giving the camera a really evil eye, wow that jib moves fast in the dark. “Cut”. “Asha keep looking down the lense, don’t look away at all”. And again we go, looking stern. New pose; arms folded, more sideways, hand on hips (thank God they didn’t use that one). Etc. It really isn’t glamorous doing that. I felt a bit silly and embarrassed or insecure. It was slightly more fun when Kevin and Camilla and I had to stand together, although then it was hard not to laugh.

I really loved the costume aspect of the show and saw how hard Chloe and Patrick had been working since the beginning of the series, often making clothes, and having to make mad dashes to the shops. They also had to make a lot of alterations to existing costumes so that they didn’t get in the way of the skaters, some doing jumps, others on ramps and everyone not being used to skating in various costumes. It was another aspect to the show which I hadn’t anticipated and which I enjoyed. I always liked arriving in the studio and hearing about what the teams had been up to in their training and special tasks.

This week, away from the nerves of the stadium, fellow judge and fitness expert Kevin Adams set the teams adrift with a team-building exercise which saw the children build and sail a raft across a lake. I loved hearing about this, how Kevin got lost going there, filming was late and it was freezing. I also liked hearing about Camilla’s week and the two make up artists. We would chat and I was always impressed by how hard everyone is working, juggling different jobs, different projects, families, partners, clients…..very stimulating and fun hanging out with them.

To round off the episode, there was daring, stunt-filled micro-scooter display. I have always been restricted to only experiencing micro scooters in Hyde Park, under the guidance of young kids who do not think before turning sharply….. Hope they watched this show!