There were a few things we knew would happen when Dancing On Ice returned to TV this year.
Celebrities would fall over a lot, Phil and Holly would always be immaculate, and Jason Gardiner would annoy people as soon as he opened his mouth.
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Well, all of those things have come to pass, particularly the part about catty Aussie judge Jason.
His latest clash with controversy started on Sunday’s show when he was analysing Cheryl Baker and dance partner Daniel Whiston’s performance.
Former Bucks Fizz star Cheryl, who now performs in new band The Fizz, had delighted viewers with a performance to Bucks Fizz classic Making Your Mind Up, inspired by their famous Eurovision-Song-Contest-winning routine from 1981.
As Cheryl and Daniel stood patiently to hear what the judges had to say, Jason told her that she looked as though she had been ‘riding a Stannah stairlift’, leaving the 63-year-old star lost for words.
However, Cheryl has now hit back at Jason, telling The Daily Star that she couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing.
“I didn’t expect that from him,” she admitted. “”I might be the oldest celebrity on the show but I don’t need a Stannah lift. I can run up and down stairs at home, I have done marathons and I keep fit. It was a nonsense comment.”
In fact Cheryl, who is nearly three times as old as fellow Dancing On Ice Contestant Kem Cetinay, says that age is nothing but a number and she is sure that she can go the distance in the competition.
“Age does not matter,” she says. “I might have been braver if I were 21 years old but as long as I am able to do what my partner Dan asks me to then I will have the staying power to last.”
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Our next chance to see Cheryl dance, and to see if she has anything further to say to Jason in person, will come in tomorrow’s Dancing On Ice where the remaining 11 celebrity skaters face the fun of disco week.
Cheryl and Dan will be performing to a smash hit from another Eurovision-winning band when they take to the ice for ABBA’s Dancing Queen.
We can’t wait to hear what Jason has to say about that one, so best of luck Cheryl and let battle commence!