Former Dancing on Ice contestant Suzanne Shaw has slammed the show for putting a ‘strain’ on the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic due to cast members being sent to hospital.
Over the past couple of weeks, a number of celebs and professionals skaters have been rushed to A&E because of injuries.
Following the first show, viewers hit out at the programme for overwhelming the NHS after a string of accidents left celebrities seeking emergency medical care.
The former pop star, who won Dancing on Ice in 2008, agreed with the public backlash and said she hopes the show doesn’t take up ‘any more of the NHS’ time’.
‘Our NHS is already struggling under the strain of the pandemic, so does it help if people are heading into hospital because of injuries created by an entertainment show?’ Suzanne began.
‘I can understand the public backlash DOI got over that.’
‘I love the show, but I hope it doesn’t take up any more of the NHS’ time,’ Suzanne added in her Closer Magazine column.
Just a few days before the first show, dance pro Yebin Mok was rushed to hospital when former Olympic skier Graham Bell fell over and cut her leg.
Denise Van Outen dislocated her shoulder while rehearsing with professional partner Matt Evers, while Rebekah Vardy also inadvertently cut her partner Andy Buchanan’s face with her ice skate during rehearsals.
Suzanne’s Hear’Say band mate Myleene Klass, who was the first celeb to be booted from the show last weekend, hit her face on the ice and ‘blacked out’ while training.
Stepping in to defend Dancing on Ice, judge John Barrowman explained that if any of the cast injure themselves they are sent to the show’s medical team first and if it’s deemed to be more serious, they decide where to go from there.
‘The NHS is the most important thing in the world at the moment and the frontline workers are taking care of people who are sick and infected in the COVID situation,’ he told Metro.co.uk and other press.
‘It’s not thought of lightly when they have to take someone to the emergency room and there’s no special treatment that is given.
‘They’re in line with everybody else so I’m not sure how to respond to those people, there’s always going to be people who criticise it.’
Dancing on Ice continues Sunday at 6pm on ITV.
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