Dancing on Ice professional Matt Evers has revealed that his former skating partner Gemma Collins attempted to quit four times during her six-week stint on the show.
The pair were axed on Sunday night after losing a skate-off to fellow competitor Ryan Sidebotttom.
Evers told how he was under the impression the TOWIE star was “going to walk,” admitting he had to convince her to stay each time.
“Gemma Collins did six weeks on Dancing On Ice,” he told Heart Breakfast. “She was in the jungle [on I'm A Celebrity] for two-and-a-half days.
“There were quite a few times that I thought she was going to walk. Three or four times I thought 'this could be it'. I always had to talk her down. If it wasn't her nerves it was something else.”
Evers added that Collins would text him at 2am worrying about the show.
He said: “There was a lot of conversation between us. A lot of 2am text messages saying 'you can do this'. So there was a lot of psychology that was behind my job.”
The GC faced elimination this weekend but took it all in her stride as she told hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that it was “time to bow out gracefully”.
She said: “I just want to bow out gracefully, it’s time to let them all go on. I wish them all the best of luck, they’re working so hard.”
The star added that she had “enjoyed working on her fitness” and vowed to buy partner Evers a Gucci handbag for not giving up on her.
She told how she "regrets" the harsh exchange of words but felt like she had to "stand her ground against body shaming".
Dancing on Ice is on ITV, Sunday at 6pm
