John Barrowman has been confirmed as Jason Gardiner‘s replacement on Dancing On Ice.
He vowed to bring something “fresh, fun and fab-u-lous” to the show when he takes the seat left vacant by Gardiner, who recently announced that he was leaving the ITV programme.
Barrowman, who competed on the ice-skating show in 2006, said: “I am so excited to be returning to the Dancing On Ice family.
“Unlike most I have been through the rigorous task of skating live as a contestant in the first series.
“This is a thrilling adventure for me and I hope to bring a fresh, fun and fab-u-lous angle to the judging panel.”
Barrowman, 52, will be taking a seat alongside Jayne Torvill, Christoper Dean and Ashley Banjo for the 2020 series.
Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment commissioning at ITV, said: “John’s quick wit, inimitable talent and all round fabulous personality make him the perfect addition to Dancing On Ice’s all star panel and we’re looking forward to seeing him bring his own brand of sparkle to the show.”
Gardiner announced last month that he was not returning.
The sharp-tongued judge, who had been on the panel for all but one of the series, said in a video shared to Instagram: “After all these years I feel it’s time for me to say goodbye to my judging role and instead I would like to return to things I have kind of put on the back burner for a while.”
Gardiner, who fell out with contestant Gemma Collins during the 2019 show, continued: “To all of my DOI fans I really thank you for your support and encouragement over the years.
“I know we’ve gone through some controversies and I really am so grateful that you got my unique judging style and honestly.
“It’s because of you I never cowered or shied away from serving up the truth.”
Addressing Torvill and Dean and the hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, he said: “Holly, Phil, Jane and Chris we created something that we can be very proud of after the ice has finally thawed.
“We’ve had a lot of laughs over the years a lot of trials and tribulations and I have absolutely loved working with all of you.”
Dancing On Ice originally ran from 2006 until 2014, and made a comeback in 2018.
Gardiner was not on the panel in 2012, but other than that was a judge on every series.
