Hey there! As a dance show fan, you may have heard the news that brothers Adam Thomas and Ryan Thomas are currently competing on rival reality TV dance competitions in the UK.
Adam is putting his best foot forward on the 2022 season of Strictly Come Dancing. Meanwhile, Ryan is preparing to show off his ice dancing skills on the 2023 season of Dancing on Ice. Having two brothers from the same family competing on rival shows at the same time is definitely an intriguing scenario!
In this article, we‘ll break down all the details about Adam and Ryan‘s dance show journeys so far. We‘ll look at how the brothers are balancing their participation, their scores and reactions so far, and how their situations compare to other celebrity siblings or reality TV rivalries. Grab some snacks and let‘s get to dancing!
So What Shows Are The Thomas Brothers Competing On?
First, let‘s quickly recap what shows Adam and Ryan are each appearing on:
Strictly Come Dancing: This is a wildly popular BBC reality dance competition that pairs celebrities with professional ballroom dancers. Adam Thomas is a contestant for the show‘s 2022 season which runs from September through December.
Dancing on Ice: This is the UK‘s version of the ice dancing competition Dancing with the Stars. Ryan Thomas will compete on the 2023 season premiering in January, where he‘ll team up with a pro figure skater.
Both shows feature panels of judges who score each dance routine. But ultimately, viewers‘ votes determine which contestants make it through each week and end up in the finale.
How Are The Brothers Doing So Far?
As of mid-October 2022, Adam is several weeks into his journey on Strictly Come Dancing‘s 2022 season. So far his scores have been decent but a bit inconsistent:
- Week 1 Tango: Score = 22 out of 40
- Week 2 Cha Cha Cha: Score = 27 out of 40
- Week 3 American Smooth: Score = 26 out of 40
- Week 4 Salsa: Score = 23 out of 40
He started strong but has since slipped into more average scoring territory. According to bookmakers, Adam is considered a dark horse candidate who could potentially make it far into the competition. But he has yet to break out as an early frontrunner [1].
In the public vote, Adam has fared reasonably well, avoiding being in the bottom two couples who must compete to stay on the show. His lively personality and existing fanbase from past shows seems to be connecting with viewers.
Meanwhile, Ryan‘s journey on Dancing on Ice‘s new season doesn‘t start until January 2023. So it‘s too early to tell how his ice dancing abilities will measure up. Based on seeing Ryan‘s athleticism and determination on other reality shows, I‘d expect he‘ll be able to hold his own once he hits the rink!
How Is The Schedule Coordinated Between The Brothers?
You might be wondering – how do Adam and Ryan manage competing on shows that air at the same time?
Fortunately, Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Ice air on different nights of the week, so there‘s no direct conflict. Strictly airs live on Saturday nights, while Dancing on Ice will air on Sunday nights in its regular time slot [2].
This means if they coordinate schedules, the brothers should even be able to attend each other‘s live shows to lend their support in the audience! I‘m willing to bet we‘ll see Ryan cheering on Adam in the Strictly audience once his own Dancing on Ice season starts.
The bigger scheduling challenge is simply that they‘ll both be immersed in intense dance training at the same time. It takes a major time commitment to rehearse elaborate routines for these competitions.
Managing that while supporting each other will be an impressive feat for the pair! But early indications are that their family bonding time hasn‘t suffered too much yet.
How Adam‘s Strictly Journey Is Going
As the first Thomas brother to take the stage this fall, Adam‘s journey on Strictly has been an eventful one so far! Here are some of the highlights and memorable moments from his Strictly Come Dancing experience to date:
For his debut dance in Week 1, Adam dedicated his elegant tango to his late grandfather. A classy move!
In Week 3, Adam rebounded from a low score with his highest leaderboard result yet for his American smooth.
He showcased a fun, fiery salsa complete with red sequined outfit in 80s Week (Week 4).
Partnered with professional dancer Katya Jones, their rehearsal clashes made headlines early on as both have strong personalities!
But they seem to have worked through any tension and fully committed to working hard together.
So far I‘d say Adam is holding his own among some stiff competition. But he has yet to have a real breakout moment to wow the judges and viewers. As the season crosses the halfway point, he‘ll need to up his game to outshine remaining favorites like Hamza Yassin and Will Mellor [3].
And avoid slipping into the bottom two dance-offs where contestants are at risk of going home! Relying too much on viewer votes to save him from elimination is precarious.
What To Expect From Ryan On Dancing on Ice
While we have to wait a few more months to see Ryan Thomas hit the rink live, I have a hunch his ice cool confidence will impress!
Ryan has proven his natural athleticism and grit on past reality shows like Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Island. So adapting those abilities to the slippery ice should play to his strengths.
Unlike Adam, Ryan will be paired with a professional figure skater rather than ballroom dancer. This means mastering not only dancing and choreography, but difficult lifts, spins, and jumps on skates.
Based on early behind-the-scenes glimpses shared on social media, Ryan seems to be relishing this new challenge [4]. And when Dancing on Ice returns January 15, 2023, I predict he has potential to go far if not emerge as an early favorite.
But as a newcomer to ice dancing, he may be at a slight disadvantage compared to contestants like Joey Essex who have skated before. We‘ll have to wait and see if he can match up with experienced competition!
How Do Adam and Ryan‘s Reality Shows Compare?
Stepping back, there are definitely some parallels between the rival shows Adam and Ryan are competing on this year. But there are also several key differences that distinguish Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Ice:
| Show | Strictly Come Dancing | Dancing on Ice |
|---|---|---|
| Contestant Pairs | Celebrity + Professional Ballroom Dancer | Celebrity + Professional Figure Skater |
| Setting | Dancing on a Traditional Stage | Ice Rink Setting |
| Focus | Ballroom & Latin Dance Styles | Ice Skating & Dance |
| Duration | 13 Weeks | 10 Weeks |
| Judging Panel | Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood | Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse, Ashley Banjo |
Both have been hugely successful reality competition formats in the UK for well over a decade. But fundamentally, they require contestants to develop two very distinct skill sets.
This contrasts with shows like Dancing with the Stars that have the same celebrities learn ballroom styles on the dance floor. The ice adds a whole extra layer!
In terms of popularity and ratings, Strictly has long dominated over Dancing on Ice in viewership figures [5]. But they‘ve carved out their own audience niches and fan bases.
How Do The Brothers‘ Situations Compare to Other Famous Siblings?
Seeing two siblings on big reality shows sparks memories of other famous cases of twinning. Strictly alone has featured multiple pairs of competing celebrity siblings over the years!
Some of the most memorable examples include:
Pop star Nicky and brother Andy Lee Byrne both joining Strictly in 2014. Nicky finished as runner-up.
Athlete Laila Morse and brother Gary Oldman appearing on back-to-back Strictly seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Former footballers Kevin and twin John Hart partnered with sibling professional dancers on Strictly in 2020.
But I have to go back over a decade to think of another case of siblings crossing over between two big UK reality dance shows.
Presenters Zoe Ball and brother Jamie Redknapp were on Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Ice, respectively, way back in 2005 and 2010. But they didn‘t directly overlap!
So the Thomas brothers are creating a pretty unique scenario in modern reality TV history. It‘s great to see their close bond and family support played out across the two shows.
Other Notable Reality TV Rivalries
Looking more broadly at competitions beyond just dance, plenty of other reality shows have indulged in hyping up "rivals" and rivalries between contestants over the years.
On shows like The X Factor and Britain‘s Got Talent, producers often exaggerated minor drama between competing acts for added publicity. Remember when One Direction and Matt Cardle were positioned as bitter rivals on 2010‘s X Factor? Pure entertainment!
But in recent times, reality shows have trended more towards good-natured competition and contestant camaraderie. The Great British Bake Off goes out of its way to avoid villainizing anyone.
So the Thomas brothers‘ scenario feels like a fun, natural rivalry that could liven up both their shows! Their inherent likeability takes any edge off.
If either Adam or Ryan does ultimately lift the trophy on their respective show, it‘ll be a sweet moment for the whole Thomas family.
The Verdict: A Twist That Delights Reality TV Fans
As we‘ve explored, seeing Adam Thomas burning up the Strictly dance floor at the same time brother Ryan prepares to take over the Dancing on Ice rink is a fabulous treat for reality show junkies.
It‘s rare for sibling competitors to go head-to-head in such a direct way. This unique circumstance definitely adds an extra layer of interest and curiosity for viewers.
Both Thomas brothers have the work ethic, determination, and raw talent to thrive on their shows. But as newer names in the reality TV world, they have some work to do to impress the judges and audiences week after week.
At the end of the day, whether Ryan ends up "beating" Adam or vice versa almost doesn‘t matter. This feel-good family storyline is great PR and exposure for them both.
And I have a hunch both shows will play up the siblings‘ angle for maximum entertainment value in promos. Get ready for plenty of reaction shots of the brothers cheering each other on!
In the meantime, both Adam and Ryan have plenty of rehearsing to do. I‘ll definitely be tuning in to watch how their stories unfold and if one of those famed Mirrorball or Dancing on Ice trophies ends up in the Thomas household.
May the best dancer win! But the real winners are the fans who get double the dose of dancing fun thanks to the Thomas brothers. I can‘t wait to see them both cut loose on their shiny floors and ice.
