Edward Appleby competed earlier this year at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Massachusetts for Team GBR for his first season out of junior, and in January, he advanced to the free skate at the European Figure Skating Championships in Estonia. December 2024 saw Ed win his second consecutive national title when he won Gold in the Men’s Singles competition at the 2025 British Figure Skating Championships, which was also his second senior British title, and at the start of the 2024/25 season in September last year, Ed finished 6th at the CS Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf. Having competed for Team GBR in 2024 for his first European Championships and his first senior World Championships, Ed had previously competed at junior level, with his competitions including finishing 9th at the 2024 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, winning Gold at the 2023 Volvo Open Cup and finishing 4th in the Boys’ Singles at the 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival. Next year will see the European Championships held in the UK for the first time in over a decade, with the event running from 13th-18th January at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, and with Ed recovering from an ongoing injury, he is preparing for two international competitions and the British Championships in November. In the final series of Dancing on Ice, which aired earlier this year, Ed was a guest on the series, performing in the Semi-Final to Blinding Lights by The Weeknd. We caught up with Ed about winning his second consecutive national title at the 2025 British Figure Skating Championships, his competitions for his first season as a senior skater, winning the junior Gold medal at the 2023 Volvo Open Cup and what it means to have the European Championships return to the UK for the first time in over a decade in January next year.

Can you tell us about your experience competing at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Massachusetts earlier this year?

Competing at the World Figure Skating Championships was a privilege and a step up in my career, my first season out of junior and fully into the senior stage.

What do you enjoy most about representing Team GBR at the World Championships, and how does it feel being selected to represent your country at major international competitions?

Representing Team GBR at any event is always an honour, being part of a team is uplifting and reminds me of the scale of the event. Being selected to represent GBR at major international events feels like recognition of my attitude and determination to compete, as well as my sportsmanship and respect of my competitors.

How was it skating at the European Figure Skating Championships in January at the Tondiraba Ice Hall in Estonia, where you advanced to the free skate?

Advancing to the free skate at a senior championship was a milestone in my career and allowed me to perform freely and with passion during the free skate.

You won your second consecutive national title when you won Gold in the Men’s Singles competition at the 2025 British Figure Skating Championships (held in December), what was it like coming away with your second senior British title?

Being able to come away with a second British title felt like proof of my off-season training and that foundation which it had laid out for me to push through the season and keep developing my skills and skating.

What are the British Championships like to compete at and how different do you find skating there opposed to at competitions around the world?

Competing at the British Championships is a feeling that can never be replicated. Whenever I have competed, it has always been held at Sheffield Ice Arena. So it becomes a routine which competitors are familiar with. Competitions around the world tend to change locations, or you don’t do the same competition twice. This is where our British Championships are different. It helps to create the same atmosphere, where everyone knows what their goals are and how to handle themselves at high pressure events.

How was it starting your 2024-25 season at the CS Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf in September last year, where you finished 6th?

Nebelhorn Trophy, for me, was an incredible experience. I was able to perform two strong performances at my first outing of the season. it felt like recognition of the new and more intense training plan which I had just begun to follow.

At the start of 2024, you represented Team GBR at your first European Championships and at your first senior World Championships, what are some of your favourite memories from these competitions?

My favourite memories are the practices from my first European and World Championships. Nobody has competed yet and everyone is trying to put themselves into their optimal space to perform as best as they can. It’s expected to have mistakes, but watching world class athletes bounce back and regain their composure was an eye-opening experience.

Can you tell us about some of your junior competitions, which included finishing 9th at the 2024 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Taipei, winning Gold at the 2023 Volvo Open Cup in Latvia, and finishing 4th in the Boys’ Singles at the 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival?

Junior is a level where everyone is still developing, discovering their skating styles, and testing out different elements.

When I placed 9th at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in 2024, my main goal was to qualify two quota places for GBR at the 2025 Junior World Championships, I would be too old to compete and I wanted to help support the younger generation coming through.

Winning Gold at the 2023 Volvo Open Cup was a surprise for me, I was competing in order to practice the junior versions of my routines, as that season I was attempting to compete in both the senior and junior categories. So to be able to win an event during this part of my season was a boost of confidence leading into the 2023 Junior World Figure Skating Championships.

When I competed at EYOF in 2022 it felt surreal, it was my first multi-sport event. Everything from the team kit to the village we stayed in made it feel like an incredible learning opportunity, with no pressure or results affecting world ranking, it enabled me to skate for myself and to enjoy the moment.

You were a guest performer on the 2025 series of Dancing on Ice, what was it like performing on the show in the Semi-Final?

Performing on Dancing on Ice as a guest performer was an experience like no other. Skating on the smaller rink, skating in a TV setting, skating with no score or judgement, just the performance. It was exciting to be invited on such a popular show and to take part. It made me feel like a celebrity, even having my own mini trailer for the day!

How did you originally get into figure skating and was it always something you wanted to do at a competitive level?

I originally got into figure skating because of my sister. When she was younger, she watched the film called Ice Princess, this inspired her to want to learn how to ice skate. From there, my parents wanted to get me and my older brother involved too. It was never something which I saw myself doing competitively, my main interest was jumping and skating around the rink as fast as I could.

Is there anything you find most rewarding, and most challenging, about being a figure skater?

The most rewarding thing about figure skating would have to be the friends which you make along the way, having the opportunity to travel abroad so much, meet people from all different places. It’s an experience which I believe to be invaluable.

The most challenging part of figure skating would have to be the early mornings and commitment. It can be so time-consuming, so physically draining, it’s a real test of character and determination to be able to get out of bed every morning and repeat the same process.

Were there any skaters that inspired you when starting out in the sport, and have you received any advice over your career so far that has stuck with you?

When I first started to watch figure skating, I remember Javier Fernandez standing out to me. He was cool, charming and charismatic.

The best advice I have received over my career so far is to be patient, if I’ve had an injury then it’s important to be realistic and build myself back up stronger.

Do you have any other favourite sports to watch and how do you like to spend your free time?

I enjoy watching short track speed skating! I saw it live for the first time back in 2022 and have been a fan ever since.

I like to spend my free time listening to music, studying and solving the occasional Rubik’s cube.

Can you tell us about your typical training day and how has it changed over the years?

A typical training day for me now starts with waking up at 4:50am, I train on the ice for roughly three to four hours total in a day. 6:00-7:00, 8:30-9:30, 12:15-13:00 and 15:30-16:30. After this, at around 17:00, I will go to the gym and train there for 40 minutes, helping my cardio, or strength and conditioning.

Since I sat my A-Levels back in 2023, this has changed dramatically. I used to skate 6:00-7:00 and then go to sixth form from 8:30-16:30. I lived 50 miles away from my ice rink and gym, so it was rather difficult to just ‘pop over for a quick session’. This made it difficult to balance studies and skating, as I wasn’t able to devote much time to either.

Do you have any competitions coming up that you can tell us about or that you are targeting?

I am currently preparing for two international competitions taking place in Europe, I’ve had to take some extra time to recover due to an ongoing injury which I am trying to deal with. My biggest event that I am aiming for will be the British Championships in November.

It is confirmed that the 2026 European Championships will be held in the UK from 13th to 18th January, for the first time in over a decade; what does it feel like to have them held in Sheffield at the Utilita Arena and what are you looking forward to for the event?

Having a home European Championships will be a proud moment for all British skaters. Our federation pulled through with an incredible event back in 2022 when we had to host a last minute Grand Prix event. I’m sure that Europeans will be spectacular. I am looking forward to international skating being brought to the UK, I hope it can inspire a new generation of athletes to take part and develop an interest in our sport.

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