‘Dancing On Ice’ judge Jason Gardiner has backed calls to include same-sex pairings on the show.
Much like BBC rival ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, ‘Dancing On Ice’ has come under increasing pressure to be more inclusive, and while the upcoming series won’t see any couples of the same sex, Jason has revealed his hopes for the future.
Speaking at the ‘Dancing On Ice’ press launch, he said (via Digital Spy): “If people were open to it, and I don’t see why we wouldn’t be, I’m sure ITV would have no problem with embracing that.
“I think it would be great if we had a same-sex couple. Where it gets difficult is in terms of content, because what works with the male female ratio is, generally speaking, the male is taller than the female.
“So therefore a female, slighter, would be able to be lifted. When you’ve got two men, generally about the same build or shape, height, that’s where it starts getting a bit difficult...”
While it seems ITV could be open to the possibility, so far, the BBC has remained firm on sticking to what they call a “traditional ballroom format” of male and female pairings on ‘Strictly’.
However, the most recent series did see the pros pair up with a same-sex partner during a special group routine.
Among the competitors on the new series of ‘Dancing On Ice’ are ‘TOWIE’ star Gemma Collins, former ‘Strictly’ pro James Jordan, ‘Love Island’ finalist Wes Nelson and ‘Coronation Street’ star Jane Danson.
‘Dancing On Ice’ returns on Sunday 6 January on ITV.