Dancing on Ice viewers have criticised the show’s commentator for making a “dodgy” joke about Joe-Warren Plant.
ITV’s ice skating competition series returned to our screens on Sunday (17 January), with Emmerdale actor Plant performing his first routine to “Sucker” by the Jonas Brothers with partner Vanessa Bauer.
Despite tripping in the routine, Plant quickly recovered and still ended up at joint top of the leaderboard.
However, Dancing on Ice viewers were left horrified by a comment from the show’s commentator which seemed to make light of an Emmerdale storyline in which Plant’s character Jacob Gallagher is groomed by his female history teacher.
Describing Plant as “a bit of a perfectionist”, the commentator said that the 18-year-old was a good match for his partner Bauer.
“If he’s anything like the character he plays, he'll be good with female authority figures,” he said, shocking audiences at home.
“Dodgy comment about homeschooling and female authority figures on #DancingOnIce considering that Emmerdale child abuse storyline,” one viewer commented.
“NOT the announcer on Dancing on Ice saying that if Jacob from Emmerdale was ‘anything like his character, he’ll be good with female authority figures’ ???????” another tweeted.
“Please tell me I did NOT just hear the #DancingOnIce commentator make a joke out of Jacob's grooming storyline on Emmerdale…,” one viewer wrote.
“Watching Dancing On Ice and the commentator just said 'we know from Emmerdale he's good with female authority figures’ about an actor whose character was groomed by his teacher,” another tweet read, with the author adding: “F***in yikes…”
ITV declined The Independent’s request for comment.
Last night’s episode of Dancing on Ice saw half of the contestants hit the ice for the first time, with rapper Lady Leshurr finding herself in the skate off.
Elsewhere in the show, comedian Rufus Hound criticised the UK government over the ongoing free school meals scandal.
