Anton Du Beke asked ‘uncomfortable’ question about Strictly scandal during live TV interview

Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has weighed in on the show’s “bullying” scandal – admitting professional dancers are “extremely competitive”.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast today (August 28) ahead of Strictly’s 20th anniversary series, Anton said: “I can’t wait for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing, it’s going to be brilliant.

“I feel very honoured that there’s only myself, Craig [Revel Horwood] and Tess [Daly] left from the very first show of the very first series.

“I love that, I feel very proud about that, because I love the show and I feel very territorial about the show really.”

Anton Du Beke asked if Strictly scandal is ‘uncomfortable’

Host Sally Nugent then asked: “It has been a torrid few months for Strictly, did you ever see anything that made you uncomfortable?”

Anton responded: “No, I can only speak for myself of course. The only time we are all together is on Saturday for the live show The rest of the week you are off with your partner. So that’s as much time as you have with everyone, one day.”

Changing the subject, he then added: “I enjoyed my time as a professional dancer enormously. I had the most wonderful relationships with all my partners who I wouldn’t have changed for the world, all of them.

“And I got the great opportunity to spend time with some wonderful ladies that I probably would never crossed paths with otherwise, even in the industry.”

Reflecting on one of his more infamous partners, Anton continued: “I mean Ann Widdecombe. There was nothing else that would have brought us both together for such a long amount of time. She was remarkable, we had the most brilliant time and I can say that for all my partners.”

Anton made the jump from professional dancer to judge in 2021.

Anton: ‘Strictly has always been competitive’

Sally also asked if the professionals had become “more competitive” in recent years.

He said: “Well it was competitive then. We were all competitive dancers who had all walked off the competitive ballroom into the studio.

“It was enormously competitive then I mean nobody knew we would be going 20 years later. We were there for Strictly to be like ‘this is what we do, ballroom dancing’.”

BBC Breakfast airs daily at 6am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Strictly Come Dancing returns later this year.

Read more: Strictly fan favourite Kai Widdrington ‘won’t be given a celebrity partner’ following ‘chemistry test’: ‘It’s meant he’s missed out’

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