Dancing on Ice'sFirst Same-Sex Skating Couple Brings John Barrowman to Tears

The U.K.'s reality series Dancing on Ice broke ground on Sunday when it featured the show's first-ever same-sex skating couple. Judge John Barrowman, an out actor known for Arrow and Torchwood, cried at the sight of two men, actor and former pairs skater Matt Evers and Ian H. Watkins (of the pop group Steps), taking to the ice together, according to Metro UK.

The men, who are both gay, skated to Panic! at the Disco's "High Hopes" for the pivotal moment that resulted in a standing ovation when the men completed their routine.

When the camera turned to the judges, Barrowman, with tears streaming down his face, said:

"I am [emotional]. That makes me happy on a complete multitude of levels just because of seeing two men who represent someone who is like me and to skate as well as you did, you've done it now, the nerves are out of the way. We've shown that two men can perform and skate together. So now do the tricks. It doesn't have to be what you did before with the man-woman thing ... you know, man-man, switch it up, do leaders different ways. Be versatile, you know what I'm saying? I'm overwhelmed. I'm almost speechless. It was just wonderful."

When judge Holly Willoughby asked the men how it felt to make history on the show, Watkins said, "I'm emotional because I've wanted this for so long and it means so much to so many people. The world is ready for this."

"I just have to say thank you to the network, thank you to ITV, and thank you to everybody at home that is accepting of this because this is normal. This is absolutely normal," Evers said.

The partners on the ice were interviewed on This Morning.