Dancing on Ice 2018: Jason Gardiner slams social media 'idiots' who slate celebrity contestants

Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner has hit out at social media “idiots” who don’t realise that the skating show is a “popularity contest” and call him out for his comments.

The famously controversial judge has been on the panel since day one – returning to the show after its four year hiatus – and has been dubbed “Mr Nasty” for his criticism of this year's contestants.

In a chat with Standard Online, Gardiner addressed recent social media outrage over a few contestants who should have been “eliminated weeks ago".

He told us: “I think what people have to understand is that 50% of it is on what they do - that’s our role as judges - but 50% is on popularities. That’s why we have celebrities on the show because these are people with fan-bases and a public profile.

“Anybody who thinks that it isn’t a personality or popularity contest as well is an idiot.”

He continued: “We’re now living in an age where everybody is sensitive. And because of social media it’s very easy for people to become outraged at nothing.

“What I get is people saying ‘thank you so much for being on that panel, you’re so entertaining but you're so right. You do help the contestants and everything you’re saying we agree with’. And that’s all that really matters.

“I think people that actually do have lives and aren’t so supersensitive about everything and everyone [will] get it. They get what’s happening. They know that, in the grand scheme of things, what I’m doing on a family entertainment show isn’t hurting anybody.”

The 46-year-old also said how he “takes his hat off to Max Evans” after it was revealed that the rugby star will skate with Brandi Malto this weekend following his partner’s illness.

Malto was eliminated from the competition last week with Antony Cotton but has stepped in to skate in the absence of Ale Izquierdo.

However, Gardiner warned: “I would hate to be him right now. To come into the quarter final and having to learn two new routines with a completely different partner? I take my hat off to him.

“That is going to be so difficult and it could be very costly.”

Dancing on Ice’s Fairy Tale week is at 6pm on Sunday on ITV.