Weights and wine gums keep Joe Pasquale on the go at Wolverhampton Grand

He puts his agent down and welcomes the Express & Star into his dressing room at the Grand.

Dressing Room 1 has seen all the greats over the years – Norman Wisdom, Christopher Biggins, John Inman – and it will be Joe's home until January 18, when his run as Muddles in Sleeping Beauty comes to a close.

Inside is his light-up dressing table, costume rail, patterned sofa and en suite bathroom, the floor is littered with socks and there's a huge sports bag containing all his Dancing On Ice essentials.

The TV show returns for its final series in the new year with an all-star line-up. Joe trains on the rink every day before his matinee panto performance – and is already feeling the effects.

"I've got a bruised bum," he says. "Which is where the first of my dressing room essentials comes in, Voltarol. I need it for all my aches and pains."

King of the Jungle Joe, 52, is on a major healthy-eating kick as a result of his gruelling schedule.

"I'm working 18 hours a day, luv, so I've got to keep super healthy. I take Spirulina, which is an algae that whales eat to make them live for 150 years. I'm taking it three times a day so I live to be 150 too.

"I've also got to have my water and my big box of fruit that I put in my juicer. I've got to have a juicer because it's the only way to get through all the fruit. Sleeping Beauty's got a juicer too. We're all at it.

"The only naughty thing I eat is wine gums. I love them and I've always got to have a big bag in my dressing room. I have a pack before every show, they keep my energy up."

Another essential is his weights, which take pride of place on his table, which is also littered with a printout of his schedule, gluten-free crackers and his iPhone.

"My partner on Dancing on Ice is Robin Johnstone and she's 5'10" so I've got to keep my strength up if I'm going to be lifting her up every day."

As he talks us through the items on the desk, his trusty iPad is playing music to keep his spirits high and energy up.

"I listen to a lot of music. At the moment it's Ed Harcourt," he says, doing a little jig.

"The next thing I need is my panto harness. Anyone who's seen the show will know why I need it – it's for a very special trick. It's not comfortable at all, it chafes the gusset.

"So I've got a bruised bum and chafed gusset at the minute, luv. The last thing I need is an essential for both me and my co-stars: dental floss. I get really close to Lucy and Oliver (Sleeping Beauty and Prince) in the show, I have their noses in my mouth at one point, so I can't have Chum breath.

Important

"Nobody wants that – so these little things are probably the most important thing of all."

Joe's schedule is so packed at the moment, he doesn't even have time for his open university degree in geology.

"I'm about half way through, luv," he says. "But I'm so busy I don't have time to do it. It's all about finding the time and there just isn't any at the minute. I am enjoying it, though."

Dancing on Ice returns to ITV on January 5. Other celebrities taking part including Suzanne Shaw, Hayley Tamaddon, Zaraah Abrahams, Jorgie Porter and Beth Tweddle.

"It'll be a great show," Joe adds. "Although the training is super tough."