This is the headline on page 2 & 3 of TV biz in The Sun today

'El's anger over jibe'

Contrary to what many people have tried to say, without first waiting to hear from Ellery, he is furious about the way that he was insulted on Sundays show.

The article goes onto say,

'Seething Ellery Hanley has launched a tirade at Dancing On Ice bitch Jason Gardiner after the judge branded him
Mr Potato Head on Sunday's show.
Bald Ellery, 47 - voted out after falling in a skate-off - was
disgusted at Jason's attack on his appearance and said his vindictive nature set a bad example to kids.

He told TV Biz: " If you use the word Potato then that's a personal attack and there's no need for it. It shows that you don't have much integrity within youself as a human being-if you can do that."
"In a privileged position like Jason there is constructive criticism or there's damn right rudeness and not having respect." "It's such a beautiful show and I don't think he sets the correct example.

It needs addressing." '

'Jason also told bebe Roxanne Pallett, 26, she had
" as much charisma as as a Cabbage Patch Doll".

The judge landed in hot water earlier in the series when he told Todd Carter he looked like he had "cra**ed himself"
when he skated and warned him he was in danger of leaving the show in a body bag.

ITV bosses made Jason apologise but Ellery reckons the judge has become worse and that his bullying has gone beyond playing the pantomime villian.'


Now that Ellery has gone on record, and clearly said of Jason,

"his vindictive nature set a bad example to kids",

"it needs addressing"

and as Ellery has also confirmed that "bullying" is taking place, and bearing in mind that this is a pre-watershed Light Entertainment Show, should Jason now apologise again, resign or be fired?

None of the above, but maybe tone it down a bit and make less personally insulting and more relevant to ice dancing comments in future!

Yes, he should apologise and button it in future with the personal nasty remarks. It's not fun, and, as we've seen on SCD, ruins the show.

That's out of order and totally wrong.

Cabbage Patch Dolls were very charismatic.

some of his comment are out of order like the moving lump one i thought was not needed

i think they are rather constructive and not personal. Ellery did look like a Mr Potato head and not just because he was bald.

I think the only personal attack he has made is when he said Greg had no personality. I think his words were "i'm glad you've realised you have to portray a character and personality because you have none." That was more about Greg than the performance.

Jason is (unless I am mistaken) an Australian, and (like Craig) Australian's are not scared to call a spade a spade; plus he is a dance choreographer, and believe me, in the dance world - whether stage or competitive ballroom - people have to put up with being called far worse than cabbage patch dolls or Mr Potato Head - and that's often when the choreographers/coaches/trainers are just being nice!!!

I also believe Jason is deliberately employed by the show because of his outrageous remarks. By and large, it is only Jason who gives the show any media spice - everything else is just that bit too nicey nicey, which does nothing for publicity stakes.

I agree he seem to comment on almost all the acts everyweek
thats why Ruthie kept cutting the other judges up and Holly over the weekend so she could get her say think she felt left out

Maybe so, but you're talking about professional dancers who would put up with the sort of crap Jason dishes out just to land a job.

What we have here are celebrities who haven't ice skated before ( well, not all of them any way) and who are doing it for charity. CRH maybe ascerbic, but I don't think he throws out personal insults like bitchy Jason does, the nasty comments he makes are totally uncalled for, and he should stick to critiqueing the actual performance.

Does he think it's clever to call someone a Mr. Potato Head or a Cabbage Patch Doll, because I don't.

As far as using him to spice up the show, I don't agree, because in my case, he's turned me right off it. Well, him and the other queen bitch Ruthie.

I think that his comments are setting a bad example. Its bullying tactics, but he isn't alone as many other judges on many other judges use similar terminology. How can we tell our kids that it isn't nice to make personal attacks on other kids in the playground due to their size, face shape, looks etc when it seems to be OK for adults to do it on the TV?

I am all for constructive criticism - things that people can work on. But personal insults imho are better left out of the equation. Talk about footwork, performance, presentation, posture; there are loads of things to refer to without getting personal.

And that makes it right does it? People in history have done all sorts of stuff to each other in the name of something or other. Doesn't make it right. In this day and age there is no excsue whatseover.

It doesn't make it right but if you make the country act all nice to each other and have this social pressure to be PC and polite then you're going to create more Hitler's.

All the celebrities know what they're signing up for when they agree to appear on these shows. They know they're going to receive criticism from the judges, be it constructive or on the insulting side. Nothing will convince me that the judges' comments are 'bullying'.

Jason should not be fired. He gives constructive criticism to some celebs, but he also gives colourful insults to others. As you said, it's an entertainment show.

If I had the choice of being called a Mr Potato Head on one ITV show, or having to sit in a tank of insects on another ITV show, I know which I'd choose...

I think that it is best that I do not respond to your extreme message priggy.

Well SCD had the "Stick insect on acid" jibe which I believe came from CRH, not to mention all the personal attacks on JS from all the judges.

It's not necessary, and why I only watch the dancing now (edited highlights either You Tube or skipping through on the iPlayer) on SCD to leave out the judges. I am starting to do the same thing for DOI, I don't want to watch Jason making personal remarks, I don't find that kind of behaviour entertaining.

It seems these quotes are being re-hashed by the tabloids from Ellery's interviews on GMTV and This Morning. On those shows he questioned Jason's language with children watching, but nowhere was he 'seething' about the comments, that I saw.

Ellery was well within his rights to point out to Jason that Mr. Potato Head was personal, insulting and unconstructive: (blimey AJ, we actually agree.)

To those who think that Jason was constructive, might I ask, if Ellery had survived for another week, just what might he have taken away from the comment?

Maybe Jason was looking for an upgrade from Mr Potato Head to Action Man?

on a slightly more serious note. I'm not saying the comment wasn't a bit OTT, but I do think it's been blown out of proportion a bit.

A good old fashioned praise sandwich is of course a better way to get bad news but if you've got a judge like Jason on the panel, I guess you have to gird your loins a bit ?

Dear miss_minervois, if you are in doubt about some of Ellery's comments, the extract below was taken from his interview with DS on Monday 16th February 2009 at 16.04,
by Lara Martin.



'What did you think when Jason compared you to Mr. Potato Head?


"I think that if you're put in a privileged position then you should never abuse it. He's a judge and it's okay giving constructive criticism, but when you make a personal attack on people then I don't think it's a good thing. This show is very clean and beautiful and millions of people, including young children, watch it. If you think you can be the classroom bully and use poor language as he has in the past with Todd, and this week when he called Roxy a 'cabbage patch doll', then it's not nice and it's not fair. It means to me that your integrity is not there. I think it's very unnecessary to call someone names and there is much better language that you can use if someone is not fluent or good at something." '

How is "stick insect on acid" a personal attack? I don't watch a lot of SCD any more but most of their comments - i did not get how it related to the performance.

With Jason i do, i know exactly where he is coming from and usually quite quickly see what he is trying to say. I remember with Kelly Holmes in the first series always took them as personal and while i found them harsh then, i soon figured out what he was actually saying about the performance and agreed with him.


Ellery has the right to say his opinion that he thinks the "Mr Potato Head" comment was personal and insulting. To be fair, Jason is becoming better at explaining his colourful comments by elaborating on what he means to say but he normally runs out of time.

If Ellery had survived, from the comment should have worked on his movement because he was moving like Mr Potato head and was quite lumpy and disjointed in his movement.
Essentially he was moving like the toy moves only on ice.

TBH, that comment summed up what i've been thinking of Ellery's movements since week 3.

Well if you can't tell that calling someone a "stick insect on acid" is a personal insult, then I suppose there's no hope.

I'm glad I don't know you in real life if that's how you treat people, and I feel very sorry for your "friends".

Then Jason should have been more clear in his critique. He says his criticism is constructive, but the competitors should not have to work out what he means by some abstruse comment which does little, or nothing, to improve future performance.

I do think he could be constructive if only he resisted the urge to seek attention.

No, i can't.

I suppose that if you can't see that its not a personal insult then i feel sorry for you.

You can't see the words as they are meant. You've been sucked into this society of being polite every single second and going "Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir".

I thought it was very clear. I'm just about to watch it again. Jason has become better at elaborating and more clear in his critique but he has made this comment before without the colourfulness and i know Ellery has been trying to work on it but it was happening too slowly for Jason and for me - I was getting bored of his weird rhythm.

As this remark was made by CRH on SCD I suppose comment is off topic - but just how would it help a celebrity; in this case Mark Foster.

Have you ever seen a stick insect on acid - has Mark, has CRH?

Without knowing the basis of criticism and understanding the essence, how on earth can one improve?