DANCING on Ice hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby have been blasted as “fake” by former judge Jason Gardiner.
Jason, 48, claimed they have snubbed him since he quit the ITV show last year. He said: “I’ve had nothing. Not even a text message. It’s hurtful.”
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The acid-tongued ex-judge said he expected the co-hosts to get in touch after he left the series last year because he had worked with them since 2005.
But Jason, 48, revealed: “Since it was announced I was leaving the show I’ve had nothing from Phil and Holly. Not even a text message.
“It is hurtful, especially because when Phillip was getting a lot of negative attention recently I sent him a message of support.
“I thought they would get in touch but I’ve learned this industry is full of fake and disingenuous people.”
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Jason did hear from one fellow panellist — but was upset that his skating heroes on the ITV show failed to get in touch.
He said: “Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill — who are idols of mine — didn’t contact me either.
“The only person who sent me a text message was Ashley Banjo.
“It’s upsetting, because I really valued these people, and I can’t understand why they wouldn’t get in touch. It doesn’t take much to send a message or a DM.
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“I thought that I was part of the Dancing on Ice family. But obviously I’m not.”
Jason also revealed he endured a series of rows over the years with Phillip, who has come under fire from a string of former colleagues.
He said: “I’ve had my issues with Phillip over the years, and I’ve always settled my grievances with him man to man. That’s how I deal with things — directly.
“We’ve shaken hands and those problems have been overcome. He is a brilliant presenter and very professional. But I also know he is not somebody I would have a close personal friendship with.
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“It’s not for me to make a judgment of whether or not he’s a bully. I’ve not been bullied by him, but I would never negate those allegations, because they are valid. If these people are all coming forward, then there’s no smoke without fire.”
Jason believes his successor John Barrowman will struggle when the skating show returns tonight as his “credentials don’t stack up”. He said: “I don’t think anyone else can bring to the show what I did, because they will always be dubbed a wannabe, or second best.
“I don’t envy John Barrowman. It’s amazing that he didn’t even make it to the final as a contestant, and yet he’s in a position to critique. He’s an amazing showman, but he is not a choreographer, so it will be interesting to see how he carves a place for himself on the panel when the credentials don’t stack up.”
Jason announced last August that he was walking away from Dancing on Ice after more than a decade. Revealing the reasons for his departure for the first time, he told how he forced bosses to axe him after a series of poisonous rows behind the scenes.
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They included a “traumatic” clash with ITV chiefs, who he says threatened to sack him if he did not drop a lawsuit against contestant Gemma Collins.
Jason consulted his lawyers after the former Towie star, 38, accused him of “selling stories” about her live on air — a claim he vehemently denies. He laid into his former employers for failing to support him.
Jason went on: “I’ve always done what I’m paid to do on the show — which is to give a brutal critique. ITV have been happy with that and carried on paying me.
“But when push comes to shove, they hung me out to dry. After Gemma made that allegation, I had so much abuse because all of her social media followers are cut from the same cloth — vile people.
“One person threatened to throw acid in my face in the street. But ITV did absolutely nothing.
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“So I did consult my lawyers, who told me I had a good case. The next week, an hour before the show, three of the top brass marched into my dressing room and demanded to know if I was going to sue Gemma. They made me feel as if it was all my fault and I would be the one to pay.
“The threat was that I would be ‘in a difficult position’ and that they would have to speak to their legal team to confirm if I could continue on the show.
“I don’t know if the aim was to scare me into backing down, but it worked. I was absolutely traumatised, and I did agree to drop the lawsuit. Through all of this, not one person asked if I was OK. And after that everything was soured.
“Every time I walked into the studio I felt like the knives were out for me, and that I couldn’t trust anyone there.
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“I began to lose sleep and was suffering from anxiety. And all because I hadn’t had the support that I needed from the people I really needed it from.
“ITV could have voiced their support for me, just as they could have voiced it on numerous other occasions when I’ve been thrown under the bus.
“But they did nothing, because their priority is always the brand.” Jason says that after the on-air spat with Gemma, he was supported by the rest of the panel — Jayne and Chris as well as Diversity star Ashley.
But he said that Phil and Holly’s response was frosty.
He added: “Ashley, Jayne and Chris were all supportive, and said nice things. Holly and Phil were supportive to a point, but also dismissive to a point.
“Their attitude was, ‘Well that’s just Gemma.’ As if that was explanation enough for what I’d been through. I found that disingenuous, if I’m honest.” Jason said he then began to think about his role on the show — and whether it was worth it.
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He went on: “After all of these problems, I began to ask myself, ‘Why do I keep putting myself through this?’ I wasn’t treated fairly.
“I had no support and the atmosphere on set was cold and tense — like I was already on the outside.
“So when it came to discussing this year’s series, I decided to ask for an outrageous amount of money, knowing they would probably refuse to pay it.
“Soon after they told me they were taking a ‘different direction’, because they ‘feel they have to take contestants’ mental health into account’.
“The irony is that they haven’t ever considered my mental health.”
Jason is now preparing to appear in solo show In The Closet which runs from January 16 to February 2 at Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zedel in London’s Soho.
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And he says he is happier than he has been in years after leaving Dancing on Ice behind.
He explained: “I loved Dancing on Ice, but it was time for me to go. I was no longer prepared to go through all that anxiety and anguish for the sake of ratings.
“I was fed up with the drama. And I’m now more content, happy and relaxed than ever.”
‘TOXIC ATMOSPHERE ON SHOW’
Jason’s comments are the latest allegations against telly veteran Schofield, who also hosts ITV show This Morning.
He first came under fire last June when Amanda Holden lifted the lid on their secret feud.
Amanda compared him to a household pest after he reportedly blocked her standing in for co-host Holly in 2017. Following her public attack, we revealed how a “toxic atmosphere” had developed backstage on the show.
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Dancing On Ice fans can't believe ageless Trisha Goddard is 62At the time, ITV dismissed rumours of a toxic atmosphere as “malicious gossip”.
The Sun told in December how Phillip’s relationship with Holly had become “strained” amid a “civil war” brewing behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, he is also said to have sparked rows with a series of colleagues, including Ruth Langsford - who made a formal complaint against him.
Ruth is said to have spoken to ITV bosses after Phillip “rudely” cut her off during a live exchange.
Following the snub, he was excluded from the guest list for a birthday party thrown for Ruth’s husband Eamonn Holmes.
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