Jason Gardiner

Jason Gardiner (born 6 November 1971) is an Australian choreographer, singer, and theatre producer best known for his role as a caustic and controversial judge on the ITV shows Dancing on Ice, Born to Shine and Stepping Out.

Gardiner was a judge on the first series of the BBC talent show Strictly Dance Fever. From 2006 to 2011, Gardiner was one of the original judges on the ITV show Dancing on Ice. Gardiner returned to Dancing on Ice for its eighth series in 2013, but the show was cancelled after its ninth series in 2014. He returned as a judge on the show in 2018., before leaving the show for a second time in 2019.

In 2006, Gardiner was one of the judges invited to take part in Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice, an Australian version of Dancing on Ice, screened on the Nine Network.

Early life Adopted at the age of six months, Gardiner was born in Melbourne and grew up in at rural Victoria. He was bullied at school for being homosexual and suffered from anorexia for two years until he came to terms with his sexuality at the age of 16.

At 12, Gardiner wrote and submitted his first musical and was the youngest ever applicant to attend The Workshop in Sydney.

Television

Film 1998 – Cats – Alonzo

Guest appearances Daily Cooks Challenge – Celebrity judge The Chase: Celebrity Special (26 October 2013) – Contestant The Great Sport Relief Bake Off (January 2014) – Contestant Celebrity Juice (13 March 2014) – Guest Tipping Point: Lucky Stars (6 August 2014) – Contestant Let's Do Christmas with Gino & Mel (11 December 2014) – Guest

Theatre

1987 – Cats – Australian Cast – Theatre Royal Sydney 1988 – 42nd Street – Original Australian Cast – Her Majesty's Theatre 1991 – West Side Story – USA National Tour – Dance Captain 1992 – Kizmet – Miami – Jackie Gleeson Theatre USA 1993 – 42nd Street – Dance Captain – Australian National 1994 – My Fair Lady – Dance Captain – Victorian State Opera 1995 – West Side Story – Riff – Princess Theatre, Melbourne 1996 – Dames at Sea – Dick – Ambassador's Theatre London 1997 – Cats – Munkustrap, Rum Tum Tugger, Alonzo and Gus – New London Theatre 1998 – Oklahoma! – Fight Captain – Royal National Theatre London

1999 – Chicago – Aaron – Adelphi Theatre London 2000 – Lady Be Good – Bertie Bassett/Choreographer – La Fenice Opera, Venice, Italy 2002 – Lady Be Good – Bertie Bassett/ Director/Choreographer – Sao Carlos Opera House Lisbon, Portugal 2002 – Anything Goes – Royal National Theatre- Associate Choreographer 2003 – Chicago – Fred Casely – Baalbeck Festival, Lebanon 2004 – Anything Goes – Dance Captain – Theatre Royal Drury Lane 2011 – Aladdin – Abanazar – Venue Cymru, North Wales Qdos Entertainment 2018 – Ruthless! – Arts Theatre 2018 – Aladdin – Abanazar – The Hawth Theatre, Crawley 2022 – Jack and the Beanstalk – Evil's O'Greedy – Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple

Choreography

1989 – Kylie Minogue – Sydney Mardi Gras – Dance Captain 1990 – Ce Ce Peniston – USA Tour – Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain 1992 – Lalique Show – Hong Kong – Choreographer and Director 1993 – YSL Fashion Show – Hong Kong – Choreographer and Director 1994 – Piaget 120th Anniversary Show – Manila Philippines – Director/Choreographer 1996 – Björk – Smashits Concert – Dancer 1997 – Shirley Bassey – Royal Albert Hall – Choreographer 1998 – Cher – Heaven Concert – Choreographer 2000 – Ultra Nate – Mardi Gras Sydney – Choreographer 2000 – Lady Be Good – La Fenice Opera House, Venice – Director/Choreographer 2001 – Marc Almond – Soft Cell Concert – Choreographer 2001 – Benefit – Edel Records – Choreographer 2002 – Lady Be Good – Sao Carlos Opera House, Lisbon – Director/Choreographer 2002 – Caroline O’Conner – Sydney Opera House – Guest artist

2002 – Victoria Wilson James – Purple in the Park – Choreographer 2002 – Gareth Gates Wembley – Choreographer 2002 – MTV EUROPE – Mondo Show Germany – Director/Choreographer 2003 – London Concert for Peace – Theatre Royal Drury Lane – Producer/Choreographer 2003 – Johnny P – Zurich Gay Pride Concert – Choreographer 2003 – Elton John Premier League Football campaign – BSkyB TVChoreographer 2003 – Persil Trade Show – Leicester Square – Director/Choreographer 2003 – Scuzz TV campaign – SkyTV commercial – Choreographer 2003 – Blue TV – SkyTV commercial – Choreographer 2004 – Premier League/Championship Snooker – BSkyB commercial – Choreographer 2005 – Graham Norton's Celebrity All Stars – BBC One – Choreographer 2005 – Peyton Hed Kandi Gay Pride Concert – London – Producer/Choreographer 2005 – Pregnancy Week Campaign – Discovery Channel – Choreographer

Vocal recordings

42nd Street – Original Australian cast recording Oklahoma! – Royal National Theatre Production Chicago – Billy Flynn and Amos, Time Music La Cage aux Folles – Time Music

A Chorus Line – Paul San Marco, Time Music Oliver – Time Music Follies – Old Ben and Young Ben, Time Music Anything Goes – Royal National Theatre Production, First Night Music