DANCING On Ice champ Alex Murphy has waded into the ongoing sexism row and revealed why the majority of winners are men.
The professional skater, 37, insists that viewers are "smart" and appreciate it is difficult for male celebrities to lift their pros on the ice.
Alex believes this is why fans are more likely to lift up the phone and vote for the male stars.
But she is keen to stress that this doesn't mean Dancing On Ice is more difficult for male celebs than females.
Alex's comments come after fans raged about this year's female contestants being consistently marked lower than the men.
This weekend Dancing On Ice's 2025 champion will be crowned, with one female in the running.
Michaela Strachan is up against Sam Aston and Anton Ferdinand.
Speaking to The Sun, Alex - who has won DOI twice - has insisted that the ITV1 show isn't sexist.
Alex exclusively told us: "Oh, I don't think it's sexist. If I'm honest, I think it's just so simple.
"I think the audience is smart, and the audience knows that it is extremely hard for a man to lift a professional ice skater and learn how to skate.
"I think then they look at it and go, 'But the female doesn't have to. The female celebrity doesn't have to learn to lift. So the men have to learn two different disciplines'.
"And I think they go, ‘Wow! That must be so much harder for them’.
"So I think that they give them more votes and they feel more, maybe not respect towards them, but they feel like, ‘Wow! They've got it harder. They drew the short stick'. Almost.
"I think that's why it carries over, even though the women are fantastic every year."
Alex went on to list a string of female celebrity DOI contestants who have impressed her, including Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle who won the show in 2013 and soap star Hayley Tamaddon, who won in 2010.
However, she ruled out any suggestion that Dancing On Ice is therefore "harder" for male contestants, saying: "Not necessarily not necessarily. I think it’s all relative."
Alex explained that women have to learn to "hold themselves" on the ice and are only at an advantage if they have a background in ballet or dance.
The skater name checked TV host and 2013 contestant Anthea Turner and former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, who competed on the show in 2022, as good examples of skaters who already had this skill.
"I was just with Anthea last night and we were talking about the show," Alex revealed.
Here's the 12 celebs lined up to take part in 2025 - along with their professional partner.
Michaela Strachan and Mark Hanretty
Anton Ferdinand and Annette Dytrt
Here's who has left the show so far:
Mollie Pearce and Colin Grafton - couple were sixth to be booted off
Charlie Brooks and Eric Radford - EastEnders star loses out in the skate-off
Chris Taylor and Robin Johnstone - after Robin replaced injured pro Vanessa Bauer, the couple were the first to be eliminated after the return of the skate-off
Sir Steve Redgrave and Vicky Ogden - third to be voted off
Ferne McCann and Brendyn Hatfield - second pairing to be voted off
Josh Jones and Tippy Packard - quits show after injury during rehearsals
Chelsee Healey and Andy Buchanan - first to be eliminated
Sarah Storey revealed she had quit on December 6, 2024. The Paralympian was partnered with Sylvain Longchambon.
"She was saying she felt so great on the show because she had had a background in ballet. She did really well, you know.
"And Kimberly Wyatt was brilliant because she knew how to hold herself."
Alex explained: "That's a skill that's really hard and it is really hard to learn.
"So these girls who come into the show with no experience, they have to learn that as well. [The audience] don't see that you know."
Alex joined Dancing On Ice's roster of pro skaters in 2018.
She won the show two times before she was brutally axed in 2022.
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