Matt Evers confirms Jason Gardiner 'sold' Gemma Collins stories

Ice skating pro Matt Evers has confirmed that Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner took it upon himself to arrange the interviews he took part in last week in which he slammed Gemma Collins. 

Gemma's partner Matt explained that all Dancing On Ice press is organised via the ITV PR team, but that Jason's appearances were set up off his own back, externally.

Chatting on Heart radio, Matt addressed Jason's comments, which saw him brand Gemma 'a disgrace to humanity' among other equally nasty remarks.

'When it comes to Dancing On Ice, you have a choice to go through the ITV press office to release interviews and statements. It’s in house,' Matt said. 'On Thursday, the story came out that she was a disgrace to humanity.

'ITV came to us, as she was really upset by it, to say that it came from Jason himself. It sounds like [he has been selling stories on her].'

The judging panel, including Jason, told Gemma she didn't dance enough in her routine on Sunday, which Matt also responded to.

He said: 'There wasn’t a lot of content... we didn’t have a lot of rehearsal time with her this week. She respected that [but] word has it [Jason] sold some stories and she went for gold.'

A rep for Jason told MailOnline: 'Jason did an interview to promote Dancing On Ice with The Sun last week. Within this interview he was asked about Gemma Collins and all the contestants. He gave his opinion. This interview was not done "behind ITV’s back". ITV were fully aware the interview was running.'

An ITV spokesperson said, in response to this: 'To avoid any further speculation and untruths around this, Gemma's comments were in relation to an interview Jason gave with a newspaper at the weekend. There is nothing more to it.' 

Gemma lashed out at Jason during Sunday night's broadcast, also seen to accuse him of 'selling stories' about her.

Following her performance as Marilyn Monroe on the ice, the TOWIE star, 37, explained she'd had a 'hell of a week', adding: 'It's really knocked my confidence, I haven't been able to get much does as I've been so upset.'

But this was no excuse for the four judges, Jason, Jayne Torvill, Ashley Banjo, and Christopher Dean, who gave the reality star a 13, the lowest score of the series.

And hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby also poked fun at her later on in the show. 

Explaining why he gave her only a three for her Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend routine, Jason, 47, said: 'There wasn’t any elegance. Marilyn Monroe was a woman in control of her femininity. You were all over the place still and there was not enough skating content.

'And as Ashley said, there's not enough skating. This is your second skate now. You need to up the ante. We're not going to see big lifts from you. We're not going to get any impressive moves.'

However, before he could continue, Gemma was quick to jump in and shout: 'Maybe if you didn't sell stories on me I wouldn't have been so much upset this week.'

Continuing her scathing onslaught, the GC proceeded to yell over the choreographer, adding: 'Boring! Next! Don't sell stories on me.' 

Yet Jason fought back too, telling the television personality: 'This doesn't help your cause. It shows you're just a brat. Listen to what we're saying.'

Ever the professional, Phillip Schofield was quick to jump in and break up the argument, saying: 'Let's jump in here before it gets completely out of hand.'   

Handing it over to Jayne to give her comments, she told Gemma: 'Skating, yes. You didn't manage the three rotations on the spin. You touched down. 

'You said you've had a difficult week and I feel like the routine was very under rehearsed and lacked content.'

Chris also admitted there was a lack of particular moves, adding: ‘There's a lot of production and that looked great. But for the steps, I counted - there was four.’

And Ashley urged Gemma to do more skating if she wanted to move further on in the competition.

He told her: ‘I look forward to you skating every week as I'm sure a lot of people do. But the fact of the matter is, there wasn't enough skating. You didn't do enough to do a higher score. It's great that you turned up and you're here but I think moving forward, more skating.’

During the show, the visibly upset star was brutally mocked by show's hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. 

When introducing Pussycat Dolls star Melody Thornton, Holly said: 'Well it is time for the final skating star of the night and it's our Pussycat Doll.

'Let's get the inside story as she skates to a song from West Side Story - nobody sold that story that's for sure.'

Moreover, Phillip said: 'Hopefully this week she will be able to put the time in.'  

Earlier this week, Jason called Gemma ‘lazy’ and ‘mediocre’, telling The Sun: ‘I can always see who’s lazy. Gemma is lazy. She doesn’t look like her heart is in it at all.’

Elsewhere, EastEnders actor Richard Blackwood has become the second celebrity to be voted off Dancing On Ice.

The 46-year-old and his professional partner Carlotta Edwards were eliminated during Sunday night's musical-themed show, following a skate-off against Saira Khan. 

But viewers were left outraged following his exit as some suggested the ITV programme was fixed when Gemma sailed through to next week's show - despite receiving the lowest score of the series from the judges. 

Speaking to hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby after learning of his exit, Richard said: ‘Yeah, I'm disappointed but it's all good. It's all good.’ 

And Carlotta was in tears as she spoke of the amazing friendship they had made during the series.

She added: ‘We've built a friendship that has lasted forever and that's what means the most to me. And the fact my dad and brother are watching.’

Richard and Saira found themselves in the bottom two after a public vote, it was then up to the judges Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Jason Gardiner and Ashley Banjo to eliminate following a skate-off.  

He said: ‘This is a really close skate off actually and the two of you, I can see you really want this. But tonight

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