'Ice' star Mumba brands Gardiner 'vile'

Samantha Mumba has described Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner as "vile".

The singer was the third contestant to be voted off the ITV1 ice-skating contest on Sunday after failing to impress viewers or the panel with her performance.

During an appearance with Gardiner on This Morning, she told presenters Fern Britton and Philip Schofield: "So here's my thing with Jason, this has been my issue from day one. I think his character on the show is fantastic, it needs it and it makes it wonderful.

"I think his thing is backstage. Even from the first show, backstage you would smile at him and you would get nothing back. And it's like, 'ok', which is fine but then today coming into my dressing room and saying 'how are you' it's like 'he talks? To us?' It's just weird."

Gardiner defended himself by claiming that he had to keep a distance in his role as a judge, but she countered: "None of the other judges do, they are all very lovely."

She added: "I find him [Jason] vile but at the same time, also, with a bottle of wine I know we would have a ball."

When he responded "Well, I don't drink so it won't happen", the 25-year-old told him: "You need to, maybe that's the problem."

Gardiner previously called her a "gangly stick insect" and said she had been a "big disappointment" on the show.

> Click here for our interview with Samantha Mumba