Gardiner mocks

Jason Gardiner has said that Ray Quinn's new role in the musical Grease is "ridiculous casting".

It was announced last week that Quinn would be taking the part of Danny in the West End musical later this year.

Joking about the 20-year-old's appointment, Gardiner told The Sun: "Oh my God, he's been cast as Danny? That's a ridiculous casting, he's going to look like a munchkin.

"Danny's supposed to be a hunk. Ray's so small! A four-foot Danny is just ridiculous. Ray's wonderful, but that's absurd."

However, the Dancing On Ice judge praised Quinn for his skating performances on Sunday's final, describing him as a "well-deserved" winner.

"It was the right result ultimately," he said. "The thing about Ray and his dance partner Maria is that I believed it. From start to finish.

"Not only do they move so beautifully together but they're just so in tune together. We’ll be hard-pressed to find another Ray for next year."