Celebrities

Get the best celeb exclusives and video house tours to your inbox every evening with our daily newsletter

These day former Dancing on Ice judge Jason Gardiner is embarking on a career worlds away from the entertainment industry as an eco-friendly farmer in Portugal.

The Australian choreographer, 49, stepped down from the show in 2019 after a row with contestant Gemma Collins..

Now he is a 'Nomadic Permaculture Designer' and has adopted lifestyle changes like growing his own food and chopping wood instead of using central heating.

He told The Sun: "I was very lucky during lockdown. A neighbour of mine kindly offered that I get to use her allotment.

  • Dancing On Ice's Dan Whiston expects Maura Higgins and Joe Swash to engage in 'psychological warfare'

  • This Morning's Holly Willoughby ‘annoyed and upset’ over Jason Gardiner comments: 'Phil’s fuming too'

"It changed my life. It was really quite profound and a beautiful experience. It put me on a different trajectory.

"We are moving towards being self-sufficient whether we like it or not. Being a grower of food and being sustainable is the future."

Jason often takes to Instagram to discusses his lifestyle changes as he enjoys a new life in Portugal.

Jason received a fierce backlash in 2019 after comparing Gemma Collins to a refrigerator, with many fans claiming his comment was "fat shaming".

  • Dancing On Ice fans praise Trisha Goddard for getting back up after taking horrific first fall

  • Jason Gardiner brands Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield as ‘fake’ after Dancing on Ice exit

He later took to social media to confirm he would not be returning for the 2020 series of the show.

The judge said: "I know there has been a lot of speculation about me and the upcoming series of Dancing on Ice. I wanted to set the record straight, I've been an original judge since 2006.

"I've done every series except one, when I was replaced by my good friend and dance sister Louis Spence in 2012."

Jason later apologised for comparing Gemma to a refrigerator.

He also insisted he didn't realise his remark had caused such offence.

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."

When quizzed over his comments being 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."

Ex-judge Jason also hit out at DOI hosts Holly Willoughby and her BFF Phillip Schofield for giving him the cold shoulder following his departure from the show.

He said: “I thought they would get in touch but I’ve learned this industry is full of fake and disingenuous people.”

Source: Read Full Article