Gemma Collins at centre of Dancing on Ice 'fix' row after THIS comment from Philip Schofield
4 February 2019, 07:19 | Updated: 4 February 2019, 07:50
Viewers' ears pricked up when they heard the silver-haired presenter say THIS to Gemma after her performance.
Dancing On Ice fans think the competition is 'FIXED' after Philip Schofield appeared to tell Gemma Collins she would be in next week's show... despite a terrible performance.
As part of 'fairytales' week, the 38-year-old unleashed her inner evil queen to skate with partner Matt Evers to Taylor Swift's Look What You Made Me Do.
But as she faced the judges moments after leaving the ice, she burst in to tears, telling them that a terrifying fall last week had knocked her confidence.
Read more: Jason Gardiner likes tweets describing GC's horror fall as 'karma'
Appearing to try and soothe her, the silver-haired presenter told her that she still had time to get her confidence back.
He said: "Well, we've got next week as well.
"So you've got the whole week to build back up again."
Read more: Gemma Collins blames terrifying BLACK OUT for Dancing On Ice fall
People at home immediately leapt on the comment, claiming it's evidence that the show is RIGGED.
One tweeted: "A blunder? Is the show a fix? She gets consistent bad scores, can’t dance nor skate and yet gets through week after week. Must be a fix?"
Another wrote: "Pressure is on @ITV phillip Schofield says about Gemma skating next week and has a week to build, up before any vote has taken place #fix".
Another branded the show 'dodgy', tweeting: "Is it worth voting if @Schofe said Gemma will have next week? Was it a slip up? Hmmmm sounds a bit dodgy."
Not amusing.. hilarious. I said it to Gemma cos she was crying. Oh btw .. it’s illegal to fix tv shows and I wouldn’t work on one that was
— Phillip Schofield (@Schofe) February 3, 2019
Sorry for consoling a crying contestant. NOT
— Phillip Schofield (@Schofe) February 3, 2019
However, Philip was fuming about the accusations and later went on Twitter himself to defend himself - and the integrity of the long-running show.
He hit back at one fan - who had tweeted him and OFCOM: "We say that to everyone! You are hilarious with your conspiracy theory. Voting is independently adjudicated. I only know the result as I say it.
"Not amusing.. hilarious. I said it to Gemma cos she was crying. Oh btw .. it’s illegal to fix tv shows and I wouldn’t work on one that was."