Blackpool's Dr Tom is scrubbing up well in his first year of Dancing on Ice

Making his debut on the 2020 series is a long awaited ambition fulfilled but he says it was a case of right place and time in finally being able to accept the appointment.

For when Tom is not in training with celebrity partner Coronation Street actress Lisa George he can be found mastering challenges of a very different kind, ditching his blades for his scrubs as a training orthopaedic surgeon.

Tom, 32, the son of consultant ophthalmologist at Spire Fylde Coast Hospital Gerald Naylor, grew up in Norbreck, Blackpool and says he is very grateful for the opportunities he enjoyed as a youngster, and for the highs of the last few months in his time taking part in ITVs star programme.

He joins an impressive cast of Blackpool Arena alumni on the show, which includes assistant creative director and three-times DOI champion Dan Whiston, coach and British champion Stephen Pickavance, fellow professional skaters Alex Demetriou and Katie Stainsby and another 2020 newcomer Oscar Peter, who is a coach at the Arena.

He says: “My mum and dad live in Blackpool so I am back here quite often, I loved growing up here and it’s where I learned to skate, so it has a very special place in my heart.

“The support I have had has really meant a lot and for Lisa, who has so many fans coming from a show like Coronation Street. We’ve really felt that.

“In the beginning the goal for me was to at least reach half-way, but each week the further you get is more exciting and with the support hopefully it could carry us on through to the final.”

Humbly he says he owes so much to his days learning to skate at seven years old at Blackpool Ice Arena at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

It was his older sister Emma who first showed an interests in the ice, when the young family moved from Birmingham in 1994 back to the resort, where both his mum and dad hail.

As a family they enjoyed the delights of the resort in their family time with the arena becoming a firm fixture.

He adds: “My dad got a consultants job at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and so we made the move.

“We spent a lot of time at the rink and that’s how my younger brother Sam and I came to enjoy it too – we were already there so why not.

“But I loved it straight away – it was a massive part of our life as kids, there’s so much talent and it’s a great foundation for any young skater, not just in learning to skate but in the dance and professionalism we grew up with, the performances and the competitions – it is very special.

“And then of course there is Hot Ice which we used to watch every year and where Dan and Alex both started out.”

All three siblings were part of BIDCA, (Blackpool Ice Drome Charities Association) the official charity name for Children Helping Children and through their childhood and into their teens they took part in the annual charity shows at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

In fact, it was very much a family affair, with mum Sue sewing ice dancing costumes for the children, and Gerald managing the spotlights for shows.

But alongside his talents as a skater the former Montgomery High School pupil had ambitions to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor.

This year his training and schedule have allowed him the flexibility to balance his duties in Greater Manchester and participate in Dancing on Ice.

“I was skating in Blackpool and performing until I was 18 years old, I always knew I wanted to do medicine from school, but it was at this time I decided to take some time out of studying and with all the skills and professional coaching I’d had it was a great foundation to be able to get a job and join Holiday on Ice.”

The international ice dancing show involves talented skaters from all over the world combining enchanting ice skating and ice dance with acrobatics, daring jumps and aerial acts, dazzling costumes very much in line with the programme.

Tom adds: “It was a fantastic experience, so much fun. I travelled all over Europe, Holland, Germany, Austria, Belgium then Russia, South Korea and America.

“I ended up extending three years to four.

“I always knew I wanted to back into education and start at medical school, which is exactly what I did.

“I came back and then went to study at Leeds University.”

It was on his last tour and through mutual ice skating professionals he met his wife American figure skater Yebin Mok. The couple now live in Greater Manchester with their young son.

“She was on her first year of the tour as I finished my last and it was between studies we managed to build our relationship.

“She is just amazing – I owe so much to her with the support she gives especially the flexibility this year, which allows me to travel to and from London, managing the skating and the medicine and then being a great mum on top.

“My mum and dad too have been fantastic they give us the flexibility to work and our little boy spends a lot of time in Blackpool with them, on the seafront – he loves it. We took him to the arena for the first time when he was two so he’s already had his skates on.”

Just recently Tom was back at home for a visit at Spire Fylde Coast Hospital – where by strange coincidence it transpired celebrity partner Lisa had once had her eyes checked by his dad.

He adds: “It was really nice to get the feeling of support from the staff. It was a very warm welcome and evidently they’ve all been watching the show and that’s really nice to hear.

“It was quite surreal to be in the operating theatre in my training clothes, normally the two worlds are separate so it was quite a bizarre experience to put to two together.”

Dad Gerald says: “He always really enjoyed skating. His intention was always to go into medicine but he was keen to have the opportunity to travel skating so he made a conscious decision to do both, and he delayed University to go travelling after his A-levels.

"It’s allowed him to develop other life skills as a team player and gaining confidence performing in front of thousands of people. It’s worked out really well.

“He has known a lot of people in Dancing on ice for a long time, a lot of the coaches and professionals in the show know him, and when the opportunity came up and he was delighted to be a part of it.

“We have been watching every week, and we went down to see the show. We met Lisa, it’s such a bizarre coincidence that I had seen her previously for an eye consultation at Spire. It’s great to see her and Tom in action.”

Tom can only speak highly of his DOI partner Lisa, who although had skated herself at a young age, was almost crippled with anxiety when she first got back on the ice.

Now in their seventh week the couple have been very busy in training.

Tom adds: “I’ve been so proud of Lisa, there was a moment before the first live show I honestly thought she might not make it on the ice at all but she’s worked so hard and done amazingly well. We’re having a great time.”

Dancing on Ice, Sunday, ITV, 6pm.