ITV faced backlash on Sunday evening after pushing ahead with a Boxing Day show featuring John Barrowman as host, months after he was sacked by the channel for exposing himself on set.

Barrowman issued an apology in May after responding to historical claims of 'inappropriate behaviour' on the set of BBC drama Torchwood, an admission that led to him being dropped from popular mainstream show Dancing On Ice. 

But the West End star, 54, returned to ITV on Boxing Day for a festive edition of All Star Musicals, prompting a mixed response from viewers. 

Taking to Twitter, one outraged license payer wrote: '#JohnBarrowman on prime time TV is an absolute disgrace that ITV should be ashamed of! 

'If there was any justice he'd be at the job centre! Thank God he's not on #DancingOnIce anymore so I don't have to boycott it! How’s #JohnBarrowman got this gig after all the dirt that’s been said about his behaviour.'

A second fumed: '@ITV sacked #johnbarrowman from #dancingonice yet he is given his OWN show... The MAIN presenter on #allstarmusicalsatchristmas #allstarmusicals Tell me.. How does that work?! Its NOT ok to go round exposing yourself to people!!!'

While a third unsettled viewer added: 'Why is that rancid worm #JohnBarrowman back on @itv? Shame on you @ITVPurpose.' 

Others were more charitable to the beleaguered star, with one commenting ahead of the show: 'Can’t wait we are so looking forward to this. Missed #JohnBarrowman and his happy smiling presence and smile.' 

Another wrote: 'All you people slagging @JohnBarrowman, give him break. Extremely nice guy who would prank around and get his c**k out on set or stage which goes on in theatre world. Which he has apologised for! He’s not a predator or a paedophile!

 Evidently in agreement, a third added: 'Always happy to see #johnbarrowman.'

The presenter had originally been omitted from a trailer for the family friendly show - which features celebrity contestants Catherine Tyldesley, Fern Britton, Ben Miller, Anita Rani and Ben Miller. 

The exclusion of John from the advert comes amid rumours that the broadcaster plans to quietly drop the star once the final two shows air in 2022, a claim ITV has since denied.  

A channel source told MailOnline: 'As we haven't aired either of our specials at this point, no conversions have even taken place with regards to future series/specials and wouldn't do until 2022. So to suggest we've made any decision about talent attached to the show is untrue.'

In November, Barrowman - who has been replaced by Oti Mabuse on Dancing On Ice - insisted the controversy surrounding his past antics was 'exaggerated' as he gave his first interview since being sacked. 

Speaking in an interview with Lorraine, he said: 'All the people that are making the fuss about it, they weren’t there, they don’t know the context of things that were done.'

Barrowman described his past actions as 'silly behaviour' and insisted that he would 'never do it now' after previously admitting to 'tomfoolery' on the sets of Doctor Who, where he began playing Captain Jack Harkness in 2005 and spin-off series Torchwood a year later. 

He explained: 'I think that if it was now, it would be crossing the line. I think that something that happened 15 years ago, it was bawdy behaviour, silly behaviour, it was being done in the confines of the set, and we were like a family, working together.

'The fact that it was stories that I’ve already told. I’ve been telling them for years. I haven’t hidden anything, they’ve been exaggerated, and they’ve tried to turn them into sexual harassment which it absolutely is not.'

He added: 'The one thing for me, all the people that are making the fuss about it, they weren’t there, they don’t know the context of things that were done. The continued bashing is not good. We've moved on.

'Like I said, I would never do it now but what we’re not allowing people and myself to do… we’re not allowing people to learn to adapt and to change, and that’s the most important thing.'