Doctor Who star John Barrowman will replace Jason Gardiner as a judge on Dancing On Ice.
John appeared on the show in 2006, finishing seventh but has also judged others on reality TV shows How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, Any Dream Will Do and I’d Do Anything.
Earlier in August, Jason officially resigned from the show, confirming he would not be taking part in the upcoming 2020 series;
ITV had reportedly been trying to find a replacement following Jason’s clash with contestant Gemma Collins during the 2019 season
‘Producers are delighted to have got John,’ a source said.
‘He’s a good fit for the show as he knows how it works and has done judging roles before.’
Speaking to The Sun, the insider added: ‘They also feel he’s a bit more wholesome than Jason, who put a lot of noses out of joint with some of his comments. They think John will be a big success.’
ITV declined to comment.
Jason, the original skating judge, confirmed the news himself via Instagram after rumours of him being replaced began doing the rounds.
‘After all these years I feel it’s time for me to say goodbye to my judging role and return to things I have been putting on hold and have been on the back burner for a while,’ he said.
‘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’m glad you got my unique judging style and honestly.
‘It’s because of you I never cowered or shied away from serving up the truth.’
The 47-year-old butted heads with Towie star Gemma over his brutally honest critiques and an insider told The Sun that show bosses are also worried about his harsh put-downs in light of The Jeremy Kyle Show controversy.
Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for John for comment.
