Ashley Banjo is "very sad" John Barrowman has been dropped from 'Dancing On Ice'.
Ashley Banjo will miss John Barrowman
The 54-year-old actor will not be on the judging panel for the 2022 series following recent claims of lewd behaviour on the sets of 'Doctor Who' and 'Torchwood' and the Diversity choreographer has reassured the entertainer that he will be "missed" when they return for filming on the ITV skating competition.
Ashley told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: “I’m very sad to see John leave the show. I’m going to miss him. I sent him a little message to say, ‘You will be missed, John’.
“I did that because at the end of the day we’re all human.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s not about showbiz – it’s about human relationships."
Ashley suggested John's departure came as a surprise.
He added: “When I heard that all of a sudden he’s not going to be there, I wanted to reach out to check he’s cool. It’s as simple as that.”
The 33-year-old dancer has vowed to stay in touch with the 'All Star Musicals' host.
He said: “John is great energy. He always treated me with nothing but respect. I’m sure he will go on to bigger and better things.
"Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to catch up soon.”
While former 'Strictly Come Dancing' host Arlene Phillips is rumoured to be joining Ashley and skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean on the Ice Panel, he insisted nothing has yet been confirmed.
Asked about the reports, Ashley simply insisted: “I don’t know."
John's exit from 'DoI' came after he revealed he sought therapy after being embroiled in a scandal for exposing himself in front of his co-stars.
The actor admitted to "tomfoolery" during the filming of 'Doctor Who' and 'Torchwood' in May but insisted he was only trying to lighten the mood and entertain colleagues, though he acknowledged his behaviour may have upset people.
And he later admitted the backlash about his antics led him to seek help after his mental health began to slide.
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