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By JODY THOMPSON
Impact: Vanilla Ice thwacks the side of his head hard into the rink after falling as he rehearses a lift for Sunday's show
Vanilla Ice has revealed that he was left unconscious and dripping in blood after he smashed his skull in a nasty fall this week during his Dancing On Ice training.
The 43-year-old rapper - real name Robert Van Winkle - had stitches to his gashed temple and was left with a nasty wound on his cheek following the tumble rehearsing for his routine this weekend.
The star was rushed to hospital after the incident, which happened as he attempted a turn with partner Katie Stainsby, but slipped and crashed against the ice at speed instead.
Out of it: Katie runs to the star's aid after he was knocked unconscious for a few seconds in the fall
Ouch: A paramedic takes a look at the wounds before the star is rushed to hospitalHe spent the afternoon at A&E being patched up, where it was confirmed he'd been unconscious ofr a few seconds after his fall, before being discharged just in time for Wednesday night's National Television Awards - but on his way there, realised he'd hurt his ankle as well.
A statement from Dancing On Ice said: 'Katie and the crew are of course extremely worried about Rob and our medical team are keeping a very close eye on him.'
However, Vanilla insisted: 'The show must go on!'
Battered and bruised: The star shows off his war wounds on today's DaybreakHe told the Sun of the accident: 'I [felt] like I got hit by a train. [Skating partner] Katie [Stainsby] scraped me off the ice.
'I had no idea what happened at first - I was out for a few minutes. There was blood everywhere.'
Talking about his fall on Daybreak this morning, the star said he was hoping that his confidence hadn't taken a knocking from the tumble, as his scores have improved week on week so far.
Last week, his dancing to Minnie The Moocher landed him and Katie 16 points and fifth place on the leader board after scoring 15 on his first outing.
Top hat: Vanilla and Katie skating on last week's show in a performance that landed them and impressive 16 pointsHe sat on the sofa and showed Christine Bleakley and Dan Lobb the cut and bruise on his cheekbone, and the tape covering up the stitches above his eye.
He said of the show: 'It's the greatest show on earth until you crash.'
Showing off his war wounds, he explained: 'I've got some bruising here and some makeup and a nice few stitches here and a cut.
'But I'm going to be alright, I race dirt bikes, this is something that happens, you crash you get up, you dust your shoulder off and you get back out there.'
His ice dance partner Katie told Christine and Dan, who was standing in for Adrian Chiles, that she was hugely proud of Rob's attitude, but the accident had left her shocked.
On the sofa: Vanilla and dance partner Katie talk to Daybreak's Dan Lobb and Christine Bleakley about the fall
She said: 'He's got a fighting spirit luckily. I was more shocked than he was, there was blood everywhere. It was really shocking.'
Vanilla admitted that the fall had knocked his confidence, but he insisted: 'This fall is not going to set me back at all. I'm giving it 110% and hope that's good enough to get me through.'
He'll be hoping to avoid a repeat performance of his fall at his next appearance on Dancing On Ice this weekend, where it was revealed this week, it is down to the celebrities to evict each other from the ice after the public's initial phone vote.
Dancing On Ice is on this Sunday at on ITV1 at 6.30pm.
source: dailymail [endtext]