Steps singer Ian H Watkins with Dancing on Ice skater Matt Evers. (ITV)
Ian ‘H’ Watkins, fresh from gliding into the history books as half of the first same-sex couple on Dancing on Ice, has revealed the rattling message Strictly Come Dancing bosses sent him.
The 43-year-old singer lefts judges and viewers stunned after his first performance with Matt Evers on the show.
As much as rival dance show Strictly Come Dancing did feature two professional male dancers strut across the ballroom, Dancing on Ice ultimately beat the show to the punch.
So, with Strictly bosses on thin ice, one staffer allegedly sent Watkins a rather chilling text.
Dancing on Ice star beat Strictly to the punch.
Just after his groundbreaking (or is it ice-breaking?) performance, a staffer texted him saying: “You should have waited for us.”
Watkins explained to The Sun: “I asked [Strictly] for a same-sex partner and they said: ‘No.
“‘The BBC doesn’t do that, it’s not us.’”
Yikes.
“Then,” Watkins continued, “I wasn’t assertive enough. I wasn’t sure of myself and I wanted to do the job so badly that I just went: ‘OK, I’ll carry on.’”
As much as Watkins’ performance brought judge John Barrowman to tears, it prompted an overwhelming, chart-topping, truly insurmountable… 16 people to complain.
So, we guess that’s progress, right?
The Steps star later said the complaints towards him dancing with a man felt like a “dagger to the heart”.
Watkins, who has twin sons with his partner Craig Ryder, continued: “I think the world has progressed and changed so much, but those kinds of people still exist and will come into contact with my children.
“And those bigots will breed more bigots and we’re bigger and better than that now, as a society. It’s changed so much, but there’s still a small minority that breeds negativity and it’s hideous.”
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