Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have hit back at Dancing On Ice ‘fix’ claims.
The pair responded to complaints from viewers over the results of the ITV series in an interview.
Some fans of the show have been left unhappy with ‘joke acts’ overstaying their welcome while others have hit out at professionally trained dancers being allowed to compete.
Speaking about Happy Mondays’ Bez, who repeatedly avoided elimination despite scoring the lowest marks, Chris said: “There’s a sort of a fascination for entertainment factor characters like Bez who every show has, and it’s just about how long they sustain.
“And, eventually the audience decides, don’t they, how long it’s going to last.”
He added that Bez brought “a lot of entertainment value” and told The Sun newspaper: “I think we can enjoy that at home on a wet, windy Sunday evening.
“We’re just judging what we see. But the majority of the time, it’s the viewers at home that are voting to keep people in.”
Chatting to The Sun newspaper
Chris also played down the idea that past dance experience helped on the ice.
He said: “Kai is here, Connor’s here, Stef, and they weren’t dancers, and I actually wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t see Connor making the final.”
Dancing On Ice continues Sunday nights live on ITV.
Also on the official line up for Dancing On Ice this year are Love Islander Liberty Poole, Corrie star Sally Dynevor, S Club 7 star Rachel Stevens, rugby star Ben Foden, Strictly star Brendan Cole and Paralympic medallist Stef Reid.
They’re joined by Happy Mondays star Bez, Pussycat Dolls star Kimberly Wyatt, showbiz presenter Ria Hebden, BMX Olympic medalist Kye Whyte, The Vamps star Connor Ball and singer and dancer Regan Gascoigne.
Fronted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, 2022’s series stars Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo behind the judges’ desk alongside Torvill & Dean.
Watch DOI online on the ITV website.
