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14 March 2018 3:15 PM

‘Dancing On Ice’ judge Jason Gardiner slams Kate Garraway after heated ‘Good Morning Britain’ interview

The reality show judge accused the breakfast show host of 'passive homophobia'

By Fabio Crispim

Jason Gardiner has slammed Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway after a heated interview. 

The Dancing On Ice judge made an appearance on the morning breakfast show on Friday (March 9) to discuss the reality show’s final. However, the interview quickly became heated after show hosts Garraway and Ben Shephard quizzed Gardiner on his style of judging, the Evening Standard reports.

During the interview, Gardiner was accused of being “cruel” and “evil” by the hosts, but he hit back by telling them his feedback was “honest.”

Garraway then asked him why he’s so “direct,” to which he responded: “One of the interesting things about you is you’ve had tough times yourself.

“When you were at school, you were bullied, had a lot of problems coming to terms with your sexuality and how people treated you, so you know what it’s like to be picked on. How do you look at those comments and think that’s different?” 

 A surprised Gardiner responded by calling Garraway’s question “controversial” and saying: “Actually what you’re saying is that I’m picking on people and that you’re likening what I do to bullying.” 

Garraway quickly defended herself: “Well some people might look at it and think that, but you’ve obviously decided it’s not in your head so perhaps explain it to us.” 

An irriated Gardiner then explained: “I’m there to give a critique based on my expertise and I have 10 seconds to make a point. Now, if I was to sit there and spout technical jargon, it’s lost on the contestant but it’s also lost on the home viewer. 

“These are people who work in offices and have no performance experience whatsoever, I have to make a point and I have to get it into their heads and you know what, whether you agree with what I do, it gets results. They listen, they do improve.”

Following the interview, Twitter users began to criticise Garraway for being “unfair” to the reality show judge. In response, Gardiner thanked his followers for their support in a tweet on Friday (March 9).

He wrote: “Really touched by the support I am receiving after @GMB tried to brand me cruel, evil & bullying. None of the celebs who are paid to do @dancingonice feel mentally or physically harmed by my judging. I know the public gets it. @kategarraway clearly has never been bullied.” 

Gardiner’s followers continued to criticise the Good Morning Britain host on Twitter. The judge replied to several tweets calling for bullying to be taken seriously before accusing Garraway of “passive homophobia” in response to another user’s tweet.

He wrote: “As a gay man the media will use derogatory words like Queen, Bitchy and [represent] LGBT+ as either camp or evil stereotypes. @GMB said I was evil and a bully. Never have these been applied to @simoncowell. Why? He’s straight!” 

Kate Garraway issued an apology on Twitter the following day, writing: “I’m mortified if @officialJasonG is upset by our ‘panto style’ fun on @GMB – completely unintended – we love him & his #DOI comments!!!”

“…When I highlighted how sadly he’d been bullied as a child (real nastiness) it was to help him clarify how DIFFERENT his tough comments are – which he did brilliantly! It’s @officialJasonG’s job to be the tough judge – it’s my job to ask the tough questions.”

However, the apology struck a nerve with Gardiner who slammed Garraway in another tweet. He wrote: “She hasn’t actually apologised just that she is ‘mortified’ that I took offence to ‘panto-style’ fun. How comparing the heinous bullying from my past to panto-style fun is in itself offensive.”

He added: “I was only there to talk positively about the @dancingonice finale.” 

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