Dancing on Ice champion Jake Quickenden trolled over deaths of father and brother

Quickenden said he feels sorry for those who post abuse online
Tough times: Reality TV star Jake Quickenden
Ken McKay/ITV/Rex
Emma Powell12 March 2018
The Weekender

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Jake Quickenden has revealed social media trolls have targeted him over the deaths of his father and brother.

The 29-year-old’s brother Oliver lost his battle with bone cancer two years ago, aged 19, four years after they lost their father Paul to cancer.

Quickenden has faced a string of online abuse since finding fame on The X Factor in 2014, with some claiming he used their deaths as a “sob story” to help him progress on the show.

Recalling the abuse to the Daily Star on Sunday he said: “I’ve had things about my brother. People said ‘Sob story, sob story’.

“Do they want me to never talk about the fact I’ve been through something like that? It’s something that’s changed me as a person. It’s made me grow.

“And me talking about it can help other people. So for me, if it helps 100 people but five people don’t like it, I couldn’t give a s***.”

Quickenden said he feels sorry for those who target him, insisting he has learned to not let it affect him.

“People do get personal, but you’ve got to think if they are giving you insults and stuff then they’re probably not happy with themselves,” he said. “So I feel bad for them because something’s obviously upsetting them.”

Dancing On Ice 2018- In pictures

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Quickenden was crowned the winner of Dancing on Ice 2018 on Sunday night after beating Coronation Street star Brooke Vincent to the title.

The singer-turned-reality-TV-star broke down in tears as his name was announced before lifting the coveted trophy with his partner Vanessa Bauer.

Speaking after his win he said: “I can’t get my head around it. It might mean I don’t have to do another reality show now!

“And Brooke is incredible, she deserves to be proud of herself.”

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