A POPULAR ice rink has been revealed as the location for the opening sequence of a hit TV show.

The Royal Pavilion rink in Brighton featured at the start of the new series of Dancing on Ice, which began on Sunday night.

Celebrities visited Brighton in November to shoot the show’s opening titles but the rink organisers were sworn to secrecy until the show went live.

Those involved in the filming included singer and presenter Cheryl Baker, Scottish rugby player Max Evans, singer Lemar, model and actress Donna Air, Good Morning Britain’s Alex Beresford and track athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton.

Chief executive of rink creators Laine, Shella Parkin, said: “It was a real pleasure to host the Dancing on Ice team at the Royal Pavilion Ice Rink.

“We hope the programme will inspire more people to enjoy the magic of ice skating.”

The rink’s winter season runs for just one more week, up to and including this Sunday.

This gives skating fans a last chance to take to the ice and enjoy the experience with the Royal Pavilion as a backdrop.

Last year Brighton and Hove City Council gave Laine Ltd the go-ahead to return annually until 2023.

The temporary ice rink has been a popular winter attraction in the city since 2009.

Its success has renewed calls from keen skaters for a permanent rink to be built.

Brighton previously had a full size ice rink open to the public from 1935 to 1965 at the Sports Stadium Brighton in West Street.

It was home to Brighton Tigers, one of Europe’s leading ice hockey teams at the time. It was demolished to make way for the Top Rank Centre which had a much smaller rink and proved to have inadequate provisions.

It closed after only five years and a small rink created in Queen’s Square closed in 2003.

The Pavilion rink has capacity for 315 skaters on the ice at any one time.

Off peak sessions run until 5.15pm on week days, including a happy hour straight after school at 4.15pm.

The rink is open from 10am until 10.15pm, with the last skate session at 9.15pm.

The Bar & Kitchen, which has a 40-metre terrace overlooking the ice, stays open until late.

Tickets cost £10 full price and £7 for under-12s.

Visit royalpavilionicerink.co.uk for more details.