Dancing on Ice fans watched this season's first celebrity skate-off as TV presenter Ria Hebden took to the ice again for a showdown with rugby player and Celebrity X Factor star Ben Foden.
Despite scoring 24.5 out of 40 from judges Ashley Banjo, Oti Mabuse, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in the opening show last week Ria scored low on the public vote and was placed in this weekend's skate-off.
Ria and her professional partner Łukasz Różycki skated through to Movie Week while Ben and his partner Robin Johnstone were sent home by the judges.
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And outraged viewers took to Twitter to voice their upset, arguing it was more difficult for the male celeb to lift his partner than to be lifted.
@ConnoJ5 said: "Ria can’t let go of her partner. Ben skates considerably better AND can skate without clinging onto his partner.
"The 'judging' on Dancing On Ice is absolutely insane!!"
@SnowAndBeach wrote: "Ben was able to skate alone and did lifts competently whilst Ria clung to her professional for the entirety of the routine. How on earth did Ben get the boot over Ria?!"
And @RobertCooksley2 said: "How much more difficult for a celebrity like Ben to lift the professional than Ria being in lift."
But @NoirLox defended "People complaint about Ria being saved saying she was lifted are basically saying men should always go through over women.
"Also if it was totally on skating Bez would have been in the bottom two and sent home tonight. #DancingOnIce."
Other fans argued that Ben, who made his debut on the ITV show tonight (Sunday January 23) because the stars are split into two groups in the opening stage, didn't get the 'same opportunity' to work on the feedback from judges as Ria.
@bevmcphun said: "#dancingonice results unfair. Ria had a week to work on the feedback she received last week but Ben didn't get the same opportunity to work on his feedback.
"Not an even playing field."
@cassellie said: "So both couples were good in the dance off IMO but the difference is Ria had a whole week to concentrate on perfecting her performance whereas Ben had to practice his first performance as well as the dance off so perhaps a little unfair?#dancingonice."
And @MiloDyson wrote: "Ria had a week to practice only that routine. Ben was learning two routines. Ben should have gone through #dancingonice."
But @BrightonBren said: "Ben had as much time training as Ria."
Ben admitted he was sad to go so soon.
He said: "I thought there’d obviously be someone who couldn’t skate, and it turns out it is me. Literally everyone was so good."
