Kyran Bracken MBE
Kyran may be better known as an ice skater than he ever was for rugby but he spent 15 years as a top class Rugby Union player and became a World Cup winner in 2003 before he became a household name in 2007’s Dancing On Ice.
Kyran was born in Dublin, on the 22nd November 1971, however his family moved to Liverpool in early childhood where he and his brother and sisters grow up. Sport was Kyran’s passion, even having a trial for Liverpool F.C and trying to play Rugby League for St. Helens. But it was his Rugby Union that managed to get him a scholarship to Stonyhurst College, where he was a pupil when he captained England School boys. After leaving school he trailed for his native Ireland, however was turned down for not being good enough. Instead he went on to Bristol University to study Law and becoming a qualified solicitor and signed for Bristol Rugby Club.
However, it was at university he sustained an injury that would blight him for the rest of his career, what he calls his “glass back” Kyran made his England Debut in November 1993 against the New Zealand All Blacks, however yet again this would be a bitter sweet day, as a stamp from Jamie Josephs on his ankle left him injured for three months and a permanentweakness. Kyran’s law experience made him a key player in the transition between amateur and professional rugby in 1996. He started the new era with a new club Saracens, a club he would devote the rest of his career too, becoming Captain until his retirement in 2006 and scrum half coach, as well as working on the commercial side of the club.
Kyran was a regular England scrum half battling for the number 9 shirt with Matt Dawson, Austin Healey and Andy Gommersall. Kyran being part of the squad for the 1995 world cup in South Africa and the 2003 world cup in Australia, unfortunately it was that serious back injury that kept him out of the 1999 World cup in Wales. It was Kyran’s performance against South Africa in the 2003 world cup that is said to have won that game for England. And the Webb Ellis trophy was won on a day Kyran wouldn’t forget – his 32nd birthday.
Kyran is also a very proud vice president of Rugby’s Charity Wooden Spoon helping disadvantage children and young people in the UK and Ireland. It was for The Wooden Spoon he and family appeared on ITV show Family Fortunes in 2007. Kyran also worked along side former Hear’say star, turned TV personality Myleene Klass On ITV Christmas special Star Traders where they traded items to be auctioned off for the homeless charity Shelter. In 2008 he became patron of Noahs Ark Children’s Hospice in Barnet he donated the money he won by taking part in 2009’s Battle of the Atheletes Gladitators Special on Sky One – where he beat boxer James Degale.
He took on a new sporting challenge in 2007 when he paired up with American pairs Melanie Lambert to take part in ITV’s smash hit show Dancing On Ice. Despite struggling with his back and an early inability to stand on ice, Kyran spent many hours training on his own, and it soon became clear that he had a natural ability to skate.
He was even able to show a skill he had learnt when he was a youngster in Liverpool – Break Dancing! He recorded what was then the highest score on Dancing on Ice with a 29.5 in semi final week. His skill and humour won him a lot of fans in the nine week run. In the final he beat 2.4 children’s Clare Buckfield and former boyband star Blue’s Duncan James. Performing the Bolero in front of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. It was a repeat of the final the following week when he again beat Clare Buckfield to take the Champion of Champions crown.
It’s his success on Ice, that has made him the First Celebrity reality Show contestant to turn professional at their new skill when he toured with Holiday on Ice in January and February 2008 in their Romanza show,
In July 2008, Kyran achieved a dream when he took his own Ice skating show “Kyran Bracken’s Ice Party” to the Fort Regent leisure centre in his family home of Jersey. Where he now considers home. His shows mix amazing show skates from professional skater, who he has come to regard as his mentors during his almost seemless transfermation in to professional skater along side another chance to see how far celebities such as the ever bubbly Suzanne Shaw and Clare Buckfield have progressed with their skating with Live music, wether skater, celebrity or singer – the cast are made people Kyran has come to regaud as close friends during the last 2 years.
Following the success of Jersey bought his talent back to the mainland for Ice party Bristol In December 2008. The Sucess of the previous two shows have seen the Ice Party enterprise grow and is sheduled to return to Jersey and the Bournemouth Arena this summer.
As well as being a top class Rugby scrum half, talented ice skater and Television personality Kyran is also a best selling author with the publication of his autobiography Behind the Scrum.