DOI star Rufus Hound WON’T appear on this week’s show as he’s told to self-isolate… after sparking controversy with government school meals rant

• The comedian, 41, has had to pull out of the show in accordance with government guidelines for the next two weeks
• Rufus was set to perform in a group routine on Sunday night and again the following week for his individual skate
• Sources say he’s tested negative for the virus and is now isolating at home
• It is currently unclear whether Rufus will return to the show with his professional partner Robin Johnstone once his isolation period ends
• It comes after the former Celebrity Juice star caused a stir during last week’s show by criticising the UK Government over free school meals

Dancing On Ice star Rufus Hound will miss this week’s show as he’s told to isolate after coming into contact with coronavirus. 

The comedian, 41, has had to pull out of the show in accordance with government guidelines, which state that he now has to quarantine at home for 10 days.

It comes after the former Celebrity Juice star caused a stir during last week’s show by criticising the UK Government over free school meals.

Oh no! Dancing On Ice star Rufus Hound will miss this week’s show as he’s told to isolate after coming into contact with coronavirus

Rufus was set to perform in a group routine on Sunday night and again the following week for his individual skate, but he will now be forced to miss both.

A spokesperson for ITV told MailOnline: ‘This week Rufus Hound came into contact with someone outside of the show who tested positive for Covid 19.

This means, following government guidelines, he will isolate for ten days. We are hoping to welcome him back to the ice soon.’  

‘We continue to have a robust set of measures in place to operate safely within Covid-19 guidelines and to ensure the wellbeing of everyone connected with the production.’

Sources say he has tested negative for the coronavirus and is now isolating at home. 

Bad news: The comedian, 41, has had to pull out of the show in accordance with government guidelines, which state that he now has to quarantine at home for 10 days

They added that while Rufus will have to isolate, his professional partner Robin Johnstone will not as she hasn’t come into contact with anyone covid positive.

She will not appear on Sunday evening’s show however. 

It is currently unclear whether the skating duo will return to the show with his professional partner Robin once his isolation period ends.

Rufus’ skating skills will no doubt be missed on the show, after he earned the judges’ golden ticket following his Mario themed performance last week.

He received the first ticket of the series, giving him and his professional partner Robin a free pass into musicals week.

What a shame! Rufus’ skating skills will no doubt be missed on the show, after he earned the judges’ golden ticket following his Mario themed performance last week

After accepting the prize, Rufus took the opportunity to slam the UK government over the recent free school meals scandal.

Speaking about how he felt to have secured the ticket, Rufus said it was the ‘least mad thing’ to have happened as he referenced the free meals controversy. 

Rufus said: ‘I’ve spent most of this year not being emotionally stable because the world stopped making sense and this does not make more sense of it. 

‘We live in a world where the people we elect don’t want to feed hungry children, this is the least mad thing that has happened to me in a long time.’ 

His comment caused a stir on Twitter as viewers of the family show were quick to praise Rufus for his political comment, while some condemned his words.

One impressed viewer penned: ‘Legend! Thanks for calling this despicable government out’

Free meals scandal: After being given the first Golden Ticket, Rufus said it was the ‘least mad thing’ to have happened as he said that political leaders ‘don’t want to feed hungry children’

‘Legend’: His comment caused a stir on Twitter as viewers of the family show were quick to praise Rufus for his political comment

While another wrote: ‘@RufusHound has just become my favourite celebrity’

And a third tweeted: ‘Love @RufusHound for calling out the government for school meals fiasco’

A fourth added: ‘Rufus Hound rinsing the govt over free school meals on Dancing On Ice makes me proud to have watched him on CBBC in the prime years’ 

But it seemed his comment divided viewers, as some viewers criticised the presenter for using the ITV show to make a political statement.

After taking to the ice, Rufus took to Twitter to respond to the thank those who had sent him ‘loving messages’ while saying that those who were ‘cross’ with him were ‘never going to be’ his friend’.

‘I wish it were different’: Rufus took to Twitter to respond to the thank those who had sent him ‘loving messages’ while saying that those who were ‘cross’ were ‘never going to be’ his friend’

Controversy: His comments come after school meals provider Chartwells’s fare was branded as ‘appalling’ after the contents of one of its food hampers went viral

He penned: ‘To the people who want to be cross with me – you were never going to be my friend. I wish it were different, but such is the world we now live in. 

‘To everyone else, thanks for all your lovely messages. I will try to keep doing funny ice dances for you x’.

His comments come after one school meals provider’s fare was branded as ‘appalling’ after the contents of one of its food hampers went viral.

Judge Ashley Banjo defended the ‘absolutely appropriate’ comments about free school meals after his remarks sparked Ofcom complaints. 

‘That’s his prerogative’: Judge Ashley Banjo defended the ‘absolutely appropriate’ comments about free school meals after his remarks sparked Ofcom complaints

Ashley said he believes the comedian showed his ‘intelligence and emotion’ with his reaction, and said it’s only natural for him to ‘take cues from the real world.’

Ashley added: ‘The idea people aren’t allowed to express their opinion because the show is a ‘family show’ I think is nonsense.’ 

Ashley said: ‘I think it is absolutely appropriate. He is a comedian and an intelligent, emotional man who takes cues from the real world around him to formulate an opinion, that’s what we all do.

‘He said something in response and that was the way he felt. Of course he’s allowed to say it, that’s his prerogative.

‘If people agree, don’t agree, the idea people aren’t allowed to express their opinion because the show is a ‘family show’ I think is nonsense.

‘Artistic’: Ashley sympathises with Rufus after his own performance with dance group Diversity became the most complained about TV moment of 2020 

‘I think people are saying it’s a family show and they only want opinions on TV that they agree with, that’s a different thing.’ 

Ofcom has since received 341 complaints about last weekend’s episode, with the majority made about Rufus.

Following pressure from a campaign spearheaded by footballer Marcus Rashford, 23, last year, the Government reversed its decision not to extend the children’s food voucher scheme into the summer holidays. 

Ashley sympathises with Rufus after his own performance with dance group Diversity became the most complained about TV moment of 2020. 

The Britain’s Got Talent routine, which was inspired by the events of last year, sparked more than 31,000 Ofcom complaints, with over 25,000 criticising the performance for referencing the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Ofcom dismissed the complaints and said the dance was ‘artistic’ and the central message was a call for ‘social cohesion and unity.’

Dancing On Ice continues on Sunday at 6pm on ITV 

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