Gemma Collins has revealed the reason she lashed out at Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner at the weekend.
The TOWIE star, 37, told ITV’s Lorraine at last night’s National Television Awards that she didn’t like being “fat-shamed” on the show.
Jason had told Gemma after her performance on Sunday’s show: “We’re not going to see big lifts from you.”
Read more: Gemma Collins breaks silence on “tough week” after Jason Gardiner row
Gemma told Dan Wootton: “I agreed with what the judges were saying. My skating wasn’t great this week because I had such a hard time.
“However, don’t fat-shame me. Don’t body-shame me because I’m doing it for all the girls out there that are curvy and do struggle with their weight like me and I’m proving to them you can get up and have a go. Don’t let anything in life hold you back.
“That’s when I just had to say my bit.”
Her boyfriend James ‘Arg’ Argent added: “People find it hard to accept that a plus size woman can be so confident.”
Meanwhile, Gemma also told the Mirror during last night’s red carpet: “This week I’ve got to let my feet do the talking. To be honest, I do agree with the judges comments.
“Less of the body shaming though, please! I might be a big girl but that doesn’t mean I can’t leave the house. Arg is loving this candy!”
It comes after Gemma hit back at Jason after he criticised her performance.
He told her: “I know you were channelling Marilyn Monroe… There wasn’t any elegance like you were saying in the VT. She has to be elegant.
“This is your second skate now. You need to up the ante. We’re not going to see big lifts from you.”
Read more: Piers Morgan accuses Jason Gardiner of ‘body-shaming’ Gemma Collins
However, before he could continue, she interjected and fumed: “Can I just say one thing? Maybe if you didn’t sell stories on me, I wouldn’t have been so upset this week.
“So take that! Boring, boring! Don’t sell stories on me.”
Jason has since denied “selling stories” about Gemma, tweeting: “Being wrongly accused of ‘selling stories’ was a blatant attempt to defame my character.”
On Tuesday, Gemma told fans she would be taking a break from social media to focus on her skating ahead of her performance on Sunday night.
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