Rufus Hound caused controversy on Dancing On Ice on Sunday night when he brought up the subject of feeding hungry children during the Covid crisis.
When host Phillip Schofield suggested that Hound's routine was crazy Hound replied: "Mate, 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.”
Hound and his dancing partner Robin Johnstone received a Golden Ticket, which means they will skate straight through to Week Three and won't face the public vote in this round, but Hound's remark caused a fuss on social media similar to the furore that surrounded dance group Diversity when they did their 'BLM' dance on Britain's Got Talent.
Fans were supportive of Hound's comments but others were quick to tweet that politics and light entertainment should not mix. Highland Dragon 2 tweeted: "shove your political pish up your arse and just dance on ice for your money. I'll feed my own kids and not rely on the government, as I always have. You spend your earnings how you wish too. Moron."
Anita tweeted: "shame on you... politics should not be bought on a dancing completion by a 2 bit comedian... another programme to boycott #boycottdancingonice."
And Spirited1 tweeted: "Rufus Hound just slagging off Boris Johnson on Dancing on Ice! Is there any family show left that doesn’t drag politics into it?"
Others stuck up for Hound on social media. Writefilmsleepeat tweeted: "I absolutely adore @RufusHound - what a superb statement to make... thank you, sir :-)"
Richard Figg added: "From now on, @RufusHound has my vote, just for his comment on the mps. Good on you sir, we loved ya before, but now, you are LEGEND"
Greg Collins tweeted: "Good to see @RufusHound give it to this useless shower of shite government about feeding starving kids"
Hound responded to the mixed response on Twitter after the live broadcast: "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"
Dancing On Ice (wth Rufus Hound for the next few weeks at least), Sundays, 6pm, ITV1
Picture: ITV
