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Torvill and Dean hit back at Stephanie and Lemar skate-off criticism in interview with Lorraine

They explain how the judging works once and for all!

The Dancing on Ice judges found their expertise questioned after their controversial decision last Sunday.

When Lemar and Stephanie Waring both performed in the skate off, many viewers assumed Lemar would be the one going home after stumbling on the ice.

And while Ashley Banjo and Jason Gardiner felt that way, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean decided to send Stephanie home.

Her professional partner Sylvain Longchambon said he believed that any skater who trips – regardless of the rest of the performance – should leave the competition.

The ice skating legends appeared on Lorraine today to talk about the current series of DOI, and Lorraine brought up the controversy straight away.

She said: “Somebody’s got to go every week, and it’s hard!”

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Jayne Torvill batted straight back though, saying: “It wasn’t a hard decision for us, it’s a skating competition. And stumbling aside, Lemar did more skating, certainly on his own.”

Her fellow judge Christopher added: “When you look at the over-all picture, Lemar could stand up by himself, he could propel himself, he could skate faster over the ice forwards and backwards. He had a stumble but when you look at the quality overall, it was still greater.”

Chris continued: “We’re here to promote the skating side of it, and so we want to see a good skater.

Jayne explained in more detail how the final decision of who goes is made, saying: “We’re head judges. One week it’ll be Chris, then me. When there’s a split decision, whoever’s the head judge, their decision carries it forward.”

Chris joked: “It’s just so happened that over the last two weeks, that’s how it’s happened!

“We want to promote the people who are ultimately, by the end of the show, talented skaters who will give a great performance. But the skating is front and centre.”

So that’s that – contestants, you have been warned! The judges are looking at the bigger picture, and not just the individual skate off.

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And Lemar lives to skate another day, beginning with this weekend’s live shows.

Dancing on Ice continues on ITV at 6pm on Sunday.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor