Jason Gardiner faces DOI sack

Jason Gardiner is facing the sack from 'Dancing on Ice' following his recent jibes at head coach Karen Barber.

The acid-tongued judge sparked fury after telling the ice-skating expert - who was dropped from the judging panel for this series - that her opinions didn't matter, infuriating many fans of the ITV1 show who are now calling for him to be axed.

Even Jason admitted he may have gone too far, saying: "They're talking about firing me. I don't know what they will do. I can't do anything about it. If I'm honest, I'm always surprised I get invited back every year."

Karen was furious after Jason rubbished her views on war hero Johnson Beharry, saying: "If your opinion still mattered you'd be on the panel."

She then went over to Jason to confront him about his comments, and host Phillip Schofield has since admitted he was worried she was going to punch him.

Speaking on ITV1's 'This Morning', Phillip said: "I thought she was packing a punch. I thought she was going to backhand him! Jason makes me laugh, even when he's bad. But he had more than a foot over the line last night.

"Karen's role is important. She works with the skaters all week. I've not got to the bottom of why they genuinely can't stand each other."

Although Jason did apologise live on air during Sunday night's (06.02.11) show, Karen refused to look him in the eye and told him: "You have said more than enough tonight. You are a nasty, nasty man."