Ben Foden’s wife Jackie Belanoff-Smith is fuming following his early exit from Dancing On Ice 2022, branding the series a ‘popularity competition’.
The rugby player became the first celebrity to be voted off the ITV series on Sunday night, after landing in the bottom two against broadcaster Ria Hebden.
However, his wife wasn’t best pleased that Ben was booted off so soon after all his efforts, and felt the public voted based on who their favourite celebrities were rather than skill.
Expressing her frustration, Jackie wrote in an Instagram story post: ‘What’s the point of saying it’s a skate competition when it’s really just a popularity competition?
‘Why divide the skaters into two weeks, groups of your choosing, and why not judge all their scores together after the two weeks?
‘What’s the point of getting a bunch of people together and then not judging them together afterwards?’
Jackie also questioned the ‘point of having a judging panel’ when the deciding vote falls with the public.
‘That’s not a skate competition, it’s a popularity competition,’ she claimed, adding: ‘What’s the point of anyone doing this really practicing and trying to learn if you’re just going to be judged on your popularity?
‘It’s a bit unfair, and we’re a bit sad, the worst skater wasn’t the first to go, I don’t really see the point.’
She added: ‘Yes, it’s how the show makes money but maybe leave the public vote for the save me skate offs or something?