I’M NOT A DIVA Judge Rinder reveals he didn’t stay in the Strictly hotel at £85 per night because it ‘wasn’t fair on TV licence fee payers’ as he lives close by, he told Johnny Seifert

JUDGE Rinder has refuted any suggestion he was a "diva" for not staying in the Strictly Come Dancing hotel with the rest of the contestants insisting he made his decision because he felt it was "unfair" on TV license payers for him to do so.

The legal eagle proved a fans' favourite when he starred in the BBC talent show last year.

Yet the barrister, full name Robert Rinder, chose not to stay with the other contestants in the accommodation at The Village Hotel at £85 per Saturday night arranged for them - because he had his own plush pad down the road.

Setting the record straight, he told Johnny Seifert he said: "I didn't refuse to stay in the hotel.

"I'm not Mariah Carey - don't be so ridiculous.

"I live in north London so it was absurd.

"I've got a perfectly nice house and frankly I don't think it's right to make license fee payers pay for my hotel."

Clearly passionate about the issue, he added: "Actually I really worry about the way in which you as a celebrity are disproportionately treated.

"Frankly the industry is almost single handedly-designed to interfere with people's moral chemistry.

"People rush to make you coffee and I had to say I know my ego and what it's like - if you carry on like this I'm going to end up like Kim Jong-un of Korea."

Judge Rinder was partnered with professional dancer Oksana Platero.

Yet he admitted aside from Louise Redknapp, Ore Oduba and Greg Rutherford, he was unaware who his fellow contestants were.

Judge Rinder then exclusively revealed he had traded in dancing for gymnastics, and said: "I've taken up gymnastics again.

"Last week I went to my first class where I did a round off backwards somersault.

"I thought ' boy do I feel great' but the only problem is I feel like I've got compound injury wounds and I've not been able to walk properly for the past few days.

"So it's probably not a good idea.

"I've  been walking around like a mincing John Wayne."

The TV star will front the first episode of his new series, Crime Stories, on ITV at 9pm tonight.

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