Jason Gardiner will be "more harsh" on ‘Dancing On Ice’ contestants with previous skating experience.
The 47-year-old choreographer admitted he is unimpressed that programme bosses have signed up the likes of former ‘EastEnders’ actor Richard Blackwood and Finnish singer Saara Aalto for the new series of the competition because he thinks they have an unfair advantage so will be expecting far more from them than their inexperienced rivals.
He admitted: "I struggle with it. If you can skate, it is an advantage. Ultimately what impresses me is a novice going from zero to hero.
"But I think if you’ve skated a bit – whether that be ice hockey, or you were born in Finland where you’ve come out the womb with ice skates on – is it as impressive? I expect a lot more from you and I will judge you more harshly, absolutely."
The show judge also lashed out at ‘X Factor’ boss Simon Cowell, branding the programme’s former toughest panellist as "wet" and suggested his new nicer persona has harmed the singing contest in the ratings battle.
He told the Sun on Sunday newspaper: "Having never watched ‘Strictly’, I couldn’t comment on what Craig Revel Horwood’s work is like and Simon, from what I have seen, he’s a bit nice and wet. What viewers was it getting? Two million? Well, the figures speak for themselves."
Meanwhile, Saara recently insisted she doesn’t have an advantage over other contestants on ‘Dancing On Ice’.
She said: "I grew up in Finland, so it’s cold in Finland, we have ice rinks outdoors. But we mainly go there with our parents and we just skate like children, so this is different.
"I have no advantage, I can tell you.
"This is so difficult, I have to be concentrating on every single muscle, and I’ve never done that before. It’s so difficult!"
Jason Gardiner didn’t want experienced Dancing On Ice contestants
