I COULDN’T STAND ANY MAUR OF IT

Higgins blasts ‘hellish’ ice dance judging

DANCING On Ice’s new contestants have been warned that facing the judges is hell.

Maura Higgins said she struggled to cope with their criticism on the skating show this year.

The Love Island star found it so tough that it turned her into a nervous wreck.

She said: “For me, facing the judges was a killer. I had never performed before that show. I’d never danced. I’d never skated.

“I was learning all of these new things and then I’m standing in front of the judges and they’re criticising me. It was very hard to take.

“I find it very hard to keep my mouth shut in life as well, so I struggled with that too.

“I wish I hadn’t let it get in on me. I feel like I did, and then I was more nervous week after week because of the scores I was getting and the comments I was getting. I was absolutely fuming.”

Despite finding it tough, Maura says she has no regrets about taking part in the show.

She added: “Dancing On Ice definitely put me out of my comfort zone. If any of the new contestants asked me for advice, I would say, ‘Just enjoy it and try not to overthink it’.

“As scary as it is, if you enjoy it, that’s the best outcome you can get.

“It doesn’t matter where you end up being placed at the end of the day. I did my best and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

The line-up includes Jason Donovan, Myleene Klass, Colin Jackson and former Olympic skier Graham Bell.

It is due to launch in January on ITV.

OMID Djalili has admitted the most cutting jibe he has ever faced wasn’t even about his joke-telling.

The star of The Infidel said: “The most remarkable heckle I ever had was upstairs at a pub gig and there were about 100 people.

“I tried out a new joke that got absolutely nothing

– it was silent.

“Then I heard someone at the back say, ‘There used to be a pool table in here’. Which is less of a heckle, more of a wistful reminder of a happier time.”

Omid is back on the box tomorrow at 3pm with new ITV quiz show Winning Combination.