ONE very famous Dancing On Ice star looks unrecognisable in a childhood throwback – but can you guess who it is?
This particular skater is still riding high after coming second on the latest series with her celebrity partner Brendan Cole.
That’s right, that sweet little girl is Vanessa Bauer, now 25.
In the cute snaps a young Vanessa can be seen as a child and dressed up in an Asian inspired outfit.
Taking to Instagram, the German skater wrote: “I’m not fully Asian but I can still raise awareness for Asian Heritage month! 
“I LOVED dressing up as a Balinese princess, my brother not so much 
I love my roots and I’m happy to be an international mix of cultures and ethnicities ”
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Fans rushed to comment on the photo, with one saying: “It’s good to remember and be proud of your roots. 
”
While another one wrote: “What a sweet picture.”
Having joined Dancing On Ice in 2018, Vanessa — a personal trainer and yoga teacher — quickly became one of the series’ most successful skaters, appearing in three finals.
Speaking to The Sun recently, she revealed her success lies in building a close relationship with her dance partners.
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She explained: “You can only get support from the audience when you create great chemistry with your partner. You need to be their mentor, coach, choreographer and friend.
“I take my job seriously, but the fun of it is 90 per cent of the job. You have to laugh — it would be so sad if Brendan and I didn’t have that bond.
“He falls every session and laughs. Behind the scenes he is a lovely person, a good family man. He is like me on the ice, and so dedicated and a perfectionist. As a pro skater, I very much appreciate that he is always trying to push himself.
“We are always trying to be adventurous and bring something to the table that the audience hasn’t seen before.”
Despite another brilliant year on the show, Vanessa has been grieving for her father Marco, who she lost to cancer last September.
She said: “My dad died just before I started training for this series, so it was hard to focus on my job — but it shows how dedicated I am to the show.
“When I came to England I wanted to park it and get on with my job, but death doesn’t work like that. I have realised that I need to talk to people.
“My dad used to come to watch me in the final and was my biggest fan. He loved to see me perform.”
Meanwhile, Vanessa is keen to do more TV too, telling us: “I would love to do a Bear Grylls-type show — not so much Love Island.
“I’ve had a lot of drama in the past and want to stay away from that!”
