More than a hundred people have complained to the broadcasting watchdog about the first episode of the new series of Dancing On Ice. Some viewers were outraged by the dance routine performed by former Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu and the outfit she wore on Sunday evening's season opener.
Many felt that the raunchy choreography to the Britney Spears song Toxic and the 28-year-old's costume were a bit much for the ITV family show, which was broadcast during early evening. The costume - a full-fabric jumpsuit chosen for Ekin-Su by the Dancing On Ice wardrobe department - was designed as a replica of the outfit worn by Britney in the music video for her 2004 Number One hit.
The dance, performed by Ekin-Su and her professional partner Brendyn Hatfield, saw the reality TV star recreate an iconic scene from last year's series of Love Island. At one point in the performance she got down to her hands and knees and crawled across the ice, evoking steamy memories of when she did the same thing in the Love Island villa before sharing a secret kiss with fellow contestant Jay Younger.
The dance earned a mixed response from the show's judging panel with a score of 21.5 points. Former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse described the routine as "hot, hot, hot – from the outfit to the make-up" but, while Olympic skater Jayne Torvill agreed the performance was "sexy", she said she would've liked to have seen "more skating".
Fans watching at home appeared to be largely unimpressed with Ekin-Su's performance as, after the judges' scores were combined with the public vote, she was left at the bottom of the scoreboard and will now face one of next week's celebrities in a skate-off to decide who'll be eliminated. Various viewers agreed about the sexiness of the performance, with some taking to Twitter to voice their concerns about its suitability for a younger audience.
Yesterday (Wednesday, January 18), Ofcom confirmed it had received 112 complaints about Dancing On Ice - and that they were all related to Ekin Su's performance and outfit, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Karen Milne wrote: "I am honestly shocked at #DOI 1) for allowing such an inappropriate outfit and 2) someone to crawl over the ice and she was overmarked"
Maria Cottingham commented: "Really don't think @ekinsuofficial should be wearing such a 'sexy' costume on a family show - do you........"
Anita Friggens said: "That was embarrassing especially this time of the evening. They shouldn’t of let her do a routine quite like that"
Isobel Walker agreed, saying: "Way to much flaunting herself for my liking this is a family show, want to do that get on a show after the 9:00pm watershed"
"Uncomfortable watch on a Sunday teatime @ITV," Sara Sutton mused.
Belglen defended Ekin-Su but questioned the programme's makers for allowing such a performance to go ahead. They wrote: "Not her fault but this is a family show and perhaps a bit more cognisance of that by the programme might be a good idea."
Some were exercised enough to complain to the TV regulator Ofcom about the performance. The broadcasting watchdog has confirmed it received 112 complaints about Sunday's show with all of those relating to Ekin-Su's performance and outfit.
The other celebrities who took to the ice on the show were ex-EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer, Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson, The Wanted's Siva Kaneswaran, reality star Joey Essex and Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton. The remaining celebrities in the competition - Coronation Street's Mollie Gallagher, drag queen The Vivienne, comedian Darren Harriott, and West End star and former Hollyoaks actress Carley Stenson - will perform on next Sunday's programme.
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