Jason Gardiner had no idea Gemma Collins has dropped out of appearing on the 'Dancing On Ice' final.
Jason Gardiner
The 'Only Way is Essex' star has pulled out of making one last performance on the skating show after the choreographer compared her to a refrigerator on 'This Morning' on Tuesday (05.03.19) but the 47-year-old judge has insisted he didn't realise his remark had caused such a backlash.
He said: "Ignorance is bliss, I don't know about this. I don't engage on the social media platforms like that.
"It's something that I find gets magnified and distorted and people jump on a bandwagon. You can't really buy in to it."
However, Jason insisted he never intended for his remark to be fat-shaming and claimed he was simply
"making light of the situation".
He told Heart Breakfast's Jamie Theakston and Lucy Horobin: "She has an alter-ego, and it's really interesting.
"I was trying to make light of it. What I don't like to do is make this constantly anything that it isn't."
When told his comments had been interpreted as fat-shaming, he added: "Oh god no. If people are taking it that way I'm really sorry.
"It was a way of diffusing any tension and making light of the situation."
And Jason insisted he is willing to put their differences aside if Gemma appears at the final.
He said: "Sure. If she needs a hug, I'll give her a hug."
The 38-year-old star previously hit out at Jason for "bullying" her over his comment and announced she wouldn't be at the final because she didn't want him to be "anywhere near" her.
She wrote on Instagram: "I'm really tired of being BULLIED by this man .... I wish you would stop ..... it's very very upsetting and hurtful let it go Jason stop bullying me ENOUGH is ENOUGH.
"I won't be bullied any more making me feel uncomfortable to come back to the final on Sunday ! I was looking forward to Sunday but won't be anywhere near someone who's BULLYING me.
"This is NOT ACCEPTABLE on any level comparing any human to an electrical appliance is not acceptable #STANDUPTOBULLIES. (sic)"
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