Matt Richardson has said he feels a ‘pang of sadness’ that he can’t share his exciting Dancing On Ice journey with late friend Caroline Flack.
The Love Island host, 40, who presented ITV2’s the Xtra Factor with the comedian, 29, tragically died at home of suicide on 15 February last year.
Speaking with The Sun, Matt said: ‘Obviously we worked together lots… she was one of my best friends in the world.
Missing her: Matt Richardson has said he feels a ‘pang of sadness’ that he can’t share his exciting Dancing On Ice journey with late friend Caroline Flack
Matt added that Caroline would have been one of the first people he’d have called to share the exciting news of him being called in for Dancing On Ice.
He said: ‘So I had a real pang of sadness that this wasn’t something I could talk to Caroline about and would have had, you know, a really good laugh about.
‘She was phenomenal. She was more than just someone that helped me in my career. She helped me in everything.’
Looking ahead to his first performance on Sunday, Matt said he’s a bit concerned he won’t make a graceful impression as he’s ‘all arms and legs’.
Friends: The TV presenter and comedian were very close and presented The Xtra Factor together. Caroline died in February 2020 at the age of 40 (pictured in 2013)
Caroline’s death was ruled a suicide in August 2020, with the coroner saying she had experienced ‘fluctuating ill health’ and was ‘distressed’ at the thought of facing a trial for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton.
The sweet tribute to his friend comes after Matt spoke about his upcoming skating debut with pro Vicky Ogden and how he ended up with a black eye as he appeared on Lorraine on Friday.
The comedian revealed when he first started training he suffered a nasty fall which led him to being sent home with concussion and a black eye.
Matt told the host: ‘I was injured. It was entirely Christopher Dean’s fault, I think even he knows that deep down. On the masterclass day, I went to skate and I was terrible and they said the problem was my limbs, which isn’t ideal.
Throwback: Matt said he felt a ‘pang of sadness’ that he couldn’t call Caroline and tell her about Dancing On Ice, adding that they would have had a good laugh (pictured in 2013)
‘He gave me a pole to skate with to stop my arms moving and as I was skating with the pole, I caught the front of my blade and went over the front of the pole and because
‘I was holding something I couldn’t put my hands out to stop myself so my face took all of the fall. I ended up being sent home with concussion and a black eye.’
Rufus announced in a video message via his Twitter account that he has sadly had to withdraw from the Dancing On Ice 2021 on Wednesday evening.
He had already missed two weeks of the competition after coming in to contact with someone who was carrying the virus and having to self-isolate.
Matt said: ‘She was phenomenal. She was more than just someone that helped me in my career. She helped me in everything’ (pictured August 2013)
Talking about being his replacement, Matt said: ‘I was nearly at the end of my being a stand-in, and I had got ready to finish so it is a bit of a surprise.
‘I have done exactly the same amount of training as everyone else, I was just doing it off-camera and not doing the show on a Sunday so I started in October, five days a week since then.’
When Lorraine showed a clip of him training and commented that he looked quite ‘Bambi-ish’ on the ice, he said: ‘That was my second day on the ice, this was a few days after the masterclass.
Bambi on ice: It comes after Lorraine showed a clip of Matt in training and commented that he looked quite ‘Bambi-ish’ on the ice, he said: ‘That was my second day on the ice’
‘I think there are a lot of people that will think I haven’t [improved] so we will see.’
Matt added coming in as a replacement suits him better, as he said: ‘I think actually for me it is the best thing that they have bounced me in, I haven’t had much time to think about it, I have just got to go for it without too much trepidation and hopefully it will go alright.
‘Ultimately if it goes horribly, I am a comedian so it was very much on purpose.’
On this weekend’s debut routine, he revealed: ‘The routine is all done. I am yet to see my outfit but I am doing a paso doble so I think I am going to be a sparkly matador.’
Axed! Rufus announced in a video message via his Twitter account that he has sadly had to withdraw from the Dancing On Ice 2021 on Wednesday, with Matt being his replacement