Christopher Dean speaks out on Gemma Collins’ Dancing on Ice fall
Was Gemma’s fall genuine?
Whether you’re a fan of the Essex diva or not, there’s no doubt that Gemma Collins has dominated this series of Dancing on Ice.
The 37-year-old TOWIE star, who insisted she was going to “take over, not take part” in the ITV dance show, caused a stir two weeks ago when she falsely accused judge Jason Gardiner of “selling stories” about her – live on air.
And last week, Collins set Twitter ablaze after tumbling onto the ice at the very end of her routine.
While she looked genuinely upset to have fallen face first at the end of her performance, some viewers were left weary as to whether the star may have faked her accident – although Dancing on Ice head judge Christopher Dean has backed Gemma's version of events.
Speaking at the Radio Times Covers Party, the 60-year-old Olympic gold medallist explained, “[Gemma’s fall] was definitely not deliberate.
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“It was all genuine.”
Dancing on Ice head coach Karen Barber added, “I coached Gemma throughout the week. And it was an out of the blue…Nothing was predicted about that. It was a really bad fall.
“We were all shocked and upset.”
While Collins has been spotted in a wheelchair since her fall, Dean added that she had been back training on the ice again, insisting we should be seeing her again on Sunday night.
Collins has not been the only controversial character on this year’s Dancing on Ice, with former Strictly star James Jordan facing backlash from fans who claim his previous experience as a professional dancer makes him “too good” for the show.
“He’s not ‘too good’ for the show,” said Dean. “He had to work really hard in order to get good.”
“The leaderboard has changed every week,” said Barber. “It’s not that he has an advantage, there’s lots of really good skaters. And James works as hard as anybody. He’s a hard worker.”
However, the pair both agreed the controversy around the latest series has made it the most watchable yet.
“It’s got drama and fantastic skating and great characters, so I think its one of the best series,” said Dean.
Dancing on Ice continues Sunday at 6pm on ITV
