Phillip Schofield has told how he adores John Barrowman and will miss his “larger than life personality” after he was axed from the Dancing On Ice judging panel.
The actor, 54, is being replaced by Strictly’s Oti Mabuse, 31, on the new series which starts on Saturday after it was claimed he exposed himself on the set of Doctor Who.
Discussing the change in judging line-up, Schofield, 59, told MailOnline: “I adore John (Barrowman) and obviously we will miss that larger than life personality but in every panel you want to make sure each area is well and truly serviced.
“Oti will definitely be the one to pick them up on their dancing and their dancing skills and that’s really important.
“So, you’ve got Ashley with the overall showbiz nature and difficulty with the moves, obviously Jayne and Chris who have ice skating sewn up and then you’ve got Oti who knows exactly what’s required.”
(Image: WireImage)
He said the judges “really like” Oti, adding she has “been on This Morning a lot” so they know “she will be a great part of the team”.
No charges were brought against John over claims he repeatedly exposed himself to co-workers on Doctor Who and its spin-off Torchwood BBC productions.
They followed more serious allegations of sexual harassment against his Doctor Who co-star Noel Clarke.
(Image: PA)
20 women accused Clarke of groping, sexual harassment and bullying but Clarke vehemently denies the allegation.
John, who played Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who, apologised in May for the historic incidents on the sets of the shows but said they were “exaggerated”.
The TV star admitted on Lorraine in November to “tomfoolery'” on the sets and said it was “silly behaviour”.
The actor said he would “never do it now” after previously conceding his behaviour had “crossed the line”.
John explained: “I think that if it was now, it would be crossing the line. I think that something that happened 15 years ago, it was bawdy behaviour, silly behaviour, it was being done in the confines of the set, and we were like a family, working together.
“The fact that it was stories that I’ve already told. I’ve been telling them for years. I haven’t hidden anything, they’ve been exaggerated, and they’ve tried to turn them into sexual harassment which it absolutely is not.”
The actor added he can now see his behaviour was “juvenile” and it would not be something he would do today.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
