VANESSA Bauer might be all smiles and sparkles on the Dancing On Ice set – yet behind the scenes she has battled a secret “struggle.”

The professional skater, who is paired with Love Island alum Chris Taylor, 34, on the new ITV series, has opened up on her grief following the death of her father.

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The Dancing On Ice favourite, 28, lost parent Marco in 2021 following his seven-year battle with cancer.

Vanessa, who is on her eighth season of the reality TV series, told how despite her dad’s lengthy illness, his passing still felt “sudden.”

The star has also now addressed his pride in her career – which has previously seen her scoop the show title with reality TV star Jake Quickenden in 2018 – and said: “He and my mum have always been so proud and he just loved watching me on the ice.

“He’d always say his biggest achievement in his life was bringing up my younger brother and me, and seeing us living really fulfilled lives.

“That’s what was important to him.”

Vanessa has told how teaming up with a charity for a series of fundraising treks had helped her through the tough time.

She told OK! Magazine of the feat: “It was very emotional. I started working with Grief Encounter last year after I sadly lost my dad to cancer three years ago.

“I’m now at a point where I believe I’m healed enough to help other young people and pass on the message that you can come out the other side of the grieving process and be able to live a happy life.

“Apparently, in the UK, one child in every classroom will experience a family bereavement before the age of 16.

“It was an empowering moment. Even though my dad battled illness for seven years, it still felt sudden when we lost him – and I struggled for those first couple of years.

“The trek was challenging because it brought it all back, but I found strength speaking about it too.

“It also gave me the opportunity to connect with people who were going through the same thing.”

LASTING MEMORIES

Every year, Berlin-born Vanessa uploads snaps showing her tender moments with her father to her Instagram grid.

Last year, she wrote: “Cancer took my dad away. As so many families can unfortunately relate to.”

Then, in 2022 when her feelings were raw, she went into more depth.

She uploaded a snap showing the pair perched on a rock and told her followers: “My dad died a year ago and I am currently writing this on the beach in Cali after I swam in the cold ocean like he would do.

“Fully appreciative of this life I get to still live and create for myself.

“It’s been a year of growth filled with experiences to remember forever where I keep telling myself he is with me through all of this in some way in the clouds.

“It’s been the weirdest and fastest year of my life, I’ve never been so familiar with tears, I’m not sure if I’ve tried to properly heal but I guess I’ve learned that I don’t need to get over it but rather learn to live with it.”

Referring to Marco’s cancer battle she added: “The way I saw him die was a traumatic experience and no matter how amazing my days were, not a single day has passed without me seeing these moments,

“I’m sad I still never had him appear in my always vivid dreams but I always have this feeling that I wanna do incredible and adventurous things as I feel like he would look at me and be happy that I continue find a way to be the daughter he was so proud of when he left this world.”

“And so I’ll keep swimming in the ocean, skating my heart out, calling mom and little brother and keep going for my dreams.

“Life is short, love your life.”

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