Ashley Banjo, a judge on ITV’s Dancing On Ice, commended Gemma Collins for getting up after her horrendous fall on Sunday’s show.
The former Britain’s Got Talent champion described the incident as “scary” and feared she would not continue with the performance.
“Me, Jayne [Torvill], Chris [Dean] and Jason [Gardiner] were probably the only people in the country who had the view we had,” he told HuffPost UK.
“Everybody else had the opposing view with the cameras behind, but we literally saw her face go hurtling towards the ice, so it was quite scary because she was skating at us when it happened.”
Admitting he thought The Only Way Is Essex star would not get up following her fall, the 30-year-old added: “I didn’t think she was getting up to be honest, because what you can’t get with a camera is the complete physicality of it.
“There was a real thud and the ice is just so unforgiving – she hit it flat-on.”
Praising the 37-year-old TV personality, he went on to say: “She had my respect when she got up, definitely.”
Gemma has been very vocal about her tumble on the ice and slammed those who claimed her terrifying fall was staged.
“It definitely wasn’t faked, one million per cent,” she told The Sun. “If they knew the pain I am in with my knee, they would understand.
“I didn’t fall, I passed out. I was just going and then, next thing, on the ground.”
She divulged: “It was so weird. I don’t think I tripped, I think I blacked out.”
Also, the businesswoman said she battled pains before taking to the ice rink and had to speak with the medics.
”The medic lady was like, ‘Look, you’re not right, you’re not 100 per cent right’. But I said, ‘I’ve got to go on and do it. I can’t not do it’.”
Despite feeling unwell and suffering from “low blood pressure”, Gemma took to the ice to perform alongside her skating partner Matt Evers, 42.
The pair were performing to Celine Dion’s All Coming Back To Me Now when she fell on her face.
As a result of her tumble, Gemma suffered badly bruised knees and had to temporarily use a wheelchair.
However, she assured her 1.2 million Instagram followers she would be returning to the figure skating show this Sunday.
On her account, she shared: “Be back Sunday guys don’t worry, nothing is going to stop me.
“Your support is overwhelming and keeping me going #nopainnogain @dancingonice physio is going well and will be OK.”
Dancing On Ice continues Sunday on ITV at 6pm.