Sam Attwater's flu worries before DOI final

Sam Attwater is so worried his flu-stricken 'Dancing On Ice' partner Brianne Delcourt will not recover by Sunday's (27.03.11) final, he has insisted she stay in bed.

Although the former 'EastEnders' star - who enjoyed a brief romance with the Canadian skating champ earlier in the season - joked he can do well without her, he admitted he is fearful ahead of the ITV1 show final after his partner came down with the illness.

Explaining Brianne's absence when he spoke to British breakfast TV show 'Lorraine' from the practice rink, Sam said: "Well I did my solo skate last week and it went well - so I thought I'd leave her at home. No, she's not very well, she's got flu so I said stay in bed and rest."

Sam will face Chloe Madeley and Laura Hamilton in the final dance off and Chloe - daughter of presenting duo Richard and Judy Finnegan - revealed she was embarrassed to have fallen during her performance with partner Michael Zenizini last week.

She said: "It was unfortunate because the routine was really, really difficult, and then we had a cross-over which we do every day in every routine, and I think Michael and I just stepped too wide and he went down and took me down with him. But we all fall all the time in practise, so you've just got to get up and carry on."