Jason Gardiner hits out at Simon Cowell

Jason Gardiner believes he is a better reality TV judge than Simon Cowell.

The famously acid-tongued 'Dancing On Ice' panellist thinks he is a more useful addition to any show than the 51-year-old 'X Factor' star - who is currently launching the ITV1 talent contest in the US - because he is able to impart his 20 years of experience onto wannabe acts.

Jason explained: "Simon is a successful music mogul and definitely knows what the trends are and what's marketable. But does he know how to say to a singer, 'This is how you need to support your diaphragm, this is how you need to project your voice, you need to pull back here'?

"But the difference is I'm critiquing people on how to perform and how to dance and I definitely know from my background and 20 years of experience how to impart technical criticism in order for them to improve."

The Australian choreographer - who is joined on the 'Dancing On Ice' judging panel by Emma Bunton and Robin Cousins - believes like Simon on 'The X Factor', the show's contestants are only eager to please him, which is something he gets a "kick" out of.

Jason added to The Sun newspaper: "I've been compared to him a lot. We are both seen as the toughest on the panel and we don't sugar-coat anything. Whenever I give a good mark or a very good critique, the looks on their faces are just amazing.

"It's like all their hard work has been justified and I love seeing that. I love the fact that they get a kick out of, in effect, pleasing me. I do get a kick out of seeing them progress because of things that I've said to them."