Brave Gladiators star Fury will ‘dance in dad’s honour’ as she films Strictly Xmas special after tragic mountain fall
BRAVE Gladiators star Fury will dance on for Strictly Christmas to honour her dad, who tragically died this weekend.
Jodie Ounsley has been training hard for the BBC festive special ahead of filming next Tuesday.
Fitness fanatic Phil Ounsley, 56, suffered a suspected heart attack on one of Yorkshire’s three peaks on Sunday.
Paramedics battled to save him while rescuing him from the 2,277ft peak Pen-y-Ghent – but it is believed to have been too late.
Jodie, 24, shared the devastating news online yesterday and confessed she was “heartbroken”.
The Gladiators favourite is one of six stars appearing on the Strictly Come Dancing show on Christmas Day, but the tragic news had thrown her involvement in doubt.
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Now it has been revealed she will continue with training.
A source said: “Jodie is devastated but wants to dance on in her dad’s honour. He always taught her to dream big and was so excited about all the exciting changes in her life after becoming a Gladiator, so she knows he’d want her to continue.”
Jodie posted on Instagram on Monday: “Heartbroken. Yesterday, my dad suddenly passed away while doing one of his favourite things—walking Pen-y-Ghent.
“He had hiked that peak countless times throughout his life, but none of us knew he wouldn’t walk back down that day.
“I don’t have the words. All I can say is that he was, and always will be, my absolute hero.
“He encouraged me to dream big and loved me wholeheartedly, and for that I will be forever grateful.
“Until we meet again, Dad.”
A source said: “Phil was perfectly fit and healthy. His death has come as such a shock to all who knew him.
“He was such a genuinely great guy and did a lot for charity. And he was always exercising and pushing himself to help others.
“Phil is the last person you would expect something like this to happen to due to the lifestyle he lived.
“It is such a surprise for his wife Jo, daughter Jodie and son Jack and his whole family are all obviously devastated.”
Fitness fanatic Phil, of Dewsbury, West Yorks, is thought to have been training for his social media series Big Phil Gets Fit.
He was a former West Yorkshire Police cop who also competed in the World Coal Carrying Championships and ran a cat hotel.
Jodie played for England‘s rugby sevens team as well as Sale Sharks and the Exeter Chiefs.
She was forced into an early retirement aged just 23 because of a shoulder injury, but has put her rugby skills to good use in her new role.
Jodie was born deaf and wears a cochlear implant, and in appearing on the show she has followed in her father’s footsteps – her dad Phil was a contender on the 2008 reboot.
She is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu British champion and a five-time World Coal Carrying champion.