Matt Evers reveals why Gemma Collins was MISSING from Dancing On Ice segment last night

21 January 2019, 07:19 | Updated: 24 January 2019, 12:23

By Emma Gritt

@emmagritt

The professional skater exclusively spoke to Heart Breakfast to explain why they didn't appear on screen with other contestants half-way through the show.

Matt Evers has revealed why Gemma Collins was absent from a segment of Dancing On Ice last night - and it's not what you think.

Speaking exclusively to Heart Breakfast, the American professional skater explained that the couple didn't appear with the other contestants half-way through the show as they were backstage getting changed in to their second outfits.

He said: "We were fine. What happens after we skated - and it happened with Melody Thornton,as well - we had a quick change.

"We have to get set in to our second costume for the skate off, so we were basically running around naked backstage.

"We got a lot of backlash again on social media, 'how come they weren't in that shot, how come they weren't getting interviewed?'

"We had a quick change."

Moments before the apparent 'snub', viewers watched on in shock as Gemma, 37, called out judge Jason Gardiner for "selling stories" on her to the press.

Read more: Gemma Collins' weight loss journey revealed

She raged: "Can I just say one thing? Maybe if you didn't sell stories on me, I wouldn't be so upset this week - so take that."

This morning, Matt explained why Gemma was so upset, saying: "Thursday a story came out saying she was a 'disgrace to humanity.

"ITV came to us, as she was really upset by it, to say that it came from Jason himself.

"It sounds like [he has been selling stories on her]."

Last night Gemma explained that the negative reports about her in the press had "really knocked my confidence, I haven't been able to get much does as I've been so upset."

But the beef continued after Gemma skated to Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend - and Jason gave her a 3.

Jason, 47, said: "There wasn’t any elegance. Marilyn Monroe was a woman in control of her femininity.

"You were channelling Marilyn [Monroe] but we ended up with Anna Nicole Smith.

"You were all over the place still and there was not enough skating content.

"And as Ashley said, there's not enough skating. This is your second skate now.

"You need to up the ante. We're not going to see big lifts from you. We're not going to get any impressive moves."

After landing the lowest score of the series, Matt admitted he was "shocked" that they weren't in the skate off.

In the end it came between Loose Women Saira Khan and Richard Blackwood, with the EastEnders star getting the boot.