When Ray Quinn won the Dancing On Ice All–Stars event in March he thought it would be the last time he laced up his skates. But his supporters had other ideas – and he is to appear in the evergreen Christmas show with a twist, Holiday On Ice.

“My fans go mad at me,” he says. “They say, ‘we want to see you skate again’. I’ve had so many offers since Dancing On Ice – theatre and other ice skating shows – that I thought this is a good way to get back on the ice in a big scale show which lots of fans can come to see.”

Quinn, second in The X Factor behind Leona Lewis in 2006, skated onto TV screens in Dancing On Ice in 2009 and despite finishing fourth was invited onto the All–Stars final ever series and again paired up with Bulgarian professional Maria Filippov.

Quinn is certain he’ll be hanging up his skates following the run of appearances in the Christmas ice show, which returns to Brighton after two years off with its 70th anniversary show, Platinum.

“People are really excited for the comeback,” says Quinn. “It has been around since 1943 – I’m sure we have people come who came when they were children and now bring their own kids and grandkids. “That is why I’m excited to be part of it. It has got a wide demographic. It is for the family. I am a family man myself and there is not a lot out there which is genuinely family–based entertainment.”

It is a surprise to hear Quinn is officially retiring from anything given he is only 26 years old.

But he says music is his real passion. He finished making his follow up to 2007’s platinum selling My Way in the autumn and he’ll sing some new tracks during the show which celebrates its return to Brighton.

“People say are you reinventing yourself? But I have always been about the music. I am a dad and a husband and doing a lot of great things, but it is time to make a decision what it is I want to do for the rest of my life, what I want to invest my time and money into, and I think the thing which has the longevity is the music.”

Before he became a household name thanks to The X Factor, Quinn was a dancer. He says the dancing helped the transition to ice skating.

“Dance core strength definitely helped when skating, but skating is not easy. People say great you were great on Dancing On Ice. But it was blinking hard work, getting it to look decent. In skates it takes only a tiny bit to go wrong to make you look hugely bad.

“All it takes is a tiny edge to throw you off and fall on your backside and slide for 12 metres, so it is a massive sport and a tough one to conquer. On Dancing On Ice I had great mentors and my partner Maria Filippov was great – she looked after me.

“With my history with dance you are always taught by someone else and you go off their passions and the way they move. So it was a lot easier to pick up things quicker so come Sunday I would have a performance ready to go.”

He reveals he hasn’t skated since the All–Stars show in March.

“I was like ‘where are me boots?’ to me wife! She was like ‘I dunno whether they are in the loft or at your mum’s.’ I’ve found them now and am looking forward to doing the show so it is all good. It’s gonna be a great gig and I love Brighton.”

• Holiday On Ice, Brighton Centre, King’s Road, Tuesday, January 6, to Sunday, January 11. Times and dates vary, tickets from £15. Call 0844 847 1515.