Matt Evers, partner of Gemma Collins, confirms to have ignored most of the Dancing On Ice rehearsals

Gemma Collins ignored most of her rehearsals of Dancing On Ice last week – despite press statements about her laziness and diva behavior "false news".

His professional partner DoI, Matt Evers, broke his silence this morning, just hours after the live showdown with Judge Jason Gardiner at the lively Gemma party.

After receiving criticism from the four judges, that Marilyn Monroe's routine of Gemma and Matt lacked real content for skating, Matt admitted that they had not done enough preparation before their large numbers.

"First of all, I'm going to defend Jason, yes, there was not a lot of content, I did not have a lot of rehearsals with her this week, so he was absolutely right," she said. he told Jamie Theakston and Lucy Horobin: breakfast of the heart of today.

But Matt also defended Gemma from Jason's critics, insisting that she had had a tough week and had been devastated by some of her comments in the press.

"On Thursday, a story was told saying that she was a" shame for humanity, "Matt said.

"ITV came to see us, because she was really upset, to say that it came from Jason himself. [he has been selling stories on her]. "

Gemma herself confessed that she had not gone to many rehearsals last week, claiming that she was too upset to learn the routine.

"It's been an incredible week, I think my self-confidence has really been defeated, so I have not been able to do too much because I've been so upset," she said. told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Scofield.

"But I liked it tonight, I had fun and that's what I just did."

Judges were not the only ones to be aware that Gemma was missing essential essays – even another competitor, Saira Khan, criticized the absence of Gemma today. on Loose Women.

"Gemma had a stressful week and I think the comments in the newspapers were not favorable," she told her colleagues.

"She was very upset and missed rehearsals and opportunities to skate this week."

Competitors are expected to repeat every day, with grueling fitness regimes both on and off the ice.

But Gemma has not yet revealed whether she had gone to a rehearsal today, after declaring last night that she wanted to win the show.

* Dancing On Ice continues next Sunday at 18h on ITV