Strictly Come Dancing news just keeps on coming… here are all the fresh claims that have emerged over the past few days.
Strictly news from Saturday
The Sun reported in Saturday’s newspaper that “more and more” Strictly Come Dancing celebs are expected to come forward with personal injury claims that could result in a steep legal bill for the BBC.
“They say they have lost work, and worry the BBC especially will deem them untouchable,” an unidentified source claimed.
Additionally, it is suggested doctors’ notes and photos of contestants’ injuries have been passed to lawyers.
The insider is said to have added: “If successful — and at the moment there certainly appears to be serious evidence for duty of care breaches — the BBC could well be forced to pay out well over £1million.”
Meanwhile, the same tabloid also brought up judge Anton Du Beke‘s name amid claims of a misconduct probe relating to his reported comments to former dance partner Laila Rouass when he was a pro on the show.
“Anton has a very 1970s attitude and can be abrasive,” a source is said to have told The Sun in an undated off-record remark.
Meanwhile, fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood told reporters allegations of abusive behaviour on Strictly are ‘news to him’.
He said: “For me it’s a shock, and news to me, because the judges are never present at any of the teaching. We literally come in on a Saturday and just judge what we see before us. So we’re kept very, very separate to the rest of the company.
“For us, it’s complete news. Every day that I read about something I think, ‘That can’t be right,’ so I’ll wait and see what happens with the investigations, but certainly we have nothing to do with that.”
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Sunday’s claims
Come Sunday, the Mirror claimed an anonymous female professional dancer has been accused of ‘bullying’ her male partner.
A source alleged the pro “screamed in his face in a rage” – and also claimed the male celeb felt “very much victimised by the behaviour of his Strictly partner”.
They are said to have added: “He alleges that on several occasions she flew into a real fury when he couldn’t get the steps right, and on one occasion screamed full in his face. They rowed every single day.
“He was left upset, struggling to sleep, and feeling isolated in the process. But even worse, he felt totally unsupported by Strictly. When he suffered the setback, it was clear he was struggling, but he felt there was no duty of care. After leaving the show, he was not contacted again, even by phone.”
Additionally, further allegations concerning sacked pro Graziano Di Prima were published.
Already accused of hitting, kicking and spitting at Zara McDermott, The Sun quoted an unnamed source as saying: “Zara ran to the toilets and locked herself in. He chased after her and was screaming abuse. He was aggressive and called her nasty names. It was really scary.”
The source continued: “You could constantly hear Graziano screaming but when production staff opened the door he would stop. He’d say, ‘How the [bleep] are you not getting this right?’, and ‘Why are we even bothering to come here?’. Zara was visibly demoralised.”
Graziano is also said to have told Zara in a separate incident: “My dead grandma can dance better than you.”
‘Rehearsal rooms should be a safe space’
Meanwhile, Amanda Abbington also spoke to the same tabloid, giving her views on her 2023 series partner Giovanni Pernice.
The Sherlock actress said: “I found Giovanni’s behaviour unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean. I couldn’t sit back and let him do that to other people.
Amanda went on: “I had to think long and hard about making a complaint because I knew the backlash I would get. But I would not have been able to live with myself for future people going on that show,”
She added: “I know what happened in that room, it’s on video and I have no problem with anyone seeing that. It’s a duty of care that is needed. Rehearsal rooms should be a safe space, there is a duty of care and kindness, and that courtesy wasn’t extended to me on this job.”
Amanda also claimed the BBC had been aware of Giovanni’s alleged behaviour “for years” and it had been flagged to producers previously.
Monday’s stories
The Times has reported intimacy coaches and chaperones could be on the cards to establish boundaries between Strictly partners.
A source said: “Some of them need the boundaries of how normal people behave explained. Because [dance] is all leading and following, and they’ve been doing it since they were eight, the idea that you can just grab someone’s wrist is ingrained in them. And clearly, for some [dancers] what is completely unacceptable behaviour needed to have been spelled out.”
Additionally, MailOnline resurfaced claims that presenter Steve Backshall complained to the BBC about pro partner Ola Jordan in 2014.
Bosses reportedly had to step in after he alleged she’d affected his confidence with her “rude and impatient” manner.
A source is said to have claimed at the time: “Steve is a very bouncy personality, up for any challenge, but Ola’s harsh treatment has flattened him and made him lose confidence.”
And elsewhere, in The Sun, 2019 contestant Will Bayley has reportedly claimed he felt pro partner Janette Manrara ‘could have protected him more’ amid comments about how he was left in “horrific” pain after leaping from a table during rehearsals.
‘Every single second of our rehearsals were filmed.’
Former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff says when she was on the show they were prohibited from rehearsing unless there were cameras filming and ‘that’s the right way’. pic.twitter.com/qHn464UxS5
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) July 22, 2024
‘Shock’ at Giovanni Strictly news
Kristina Rihanoff has also made the news headlines today with a guest appearance on GMB. She admitted allegations about Giovanni were unexpected to her.
“It did come as a shock, especially about Giovanni because I worked with him on the show,” she said.
“Like I said previously, in my experience, in a professional environment and group numbers and otherwise, he was a great person to work with.
“However, it’s difficult to comment because we’ve never been with another pro training another celebrity in the same room. That never happens so you can’t comment on how everyone is with their celebrities.”
Kristina also endorsed the filming of rehearsals. She added: “Back in my days on Strictly, we always were filmed. Every second of our rehearsals were filmed. It was a rule, I wasn’t explained why, but we always had cameras. We were prohibited from doing any rehearsals with a celebrity without cameras rolling . And I think that’s the right way because the proof is there. What happened, what didn’t happen, because you can look back at it.”
Former celeb contestant Edwina Currie, meanwhile, pondered on This Morning earlier today: “I think some of the younger contestants these days don’t realise it does take an awful lot more effort than washing a footpath and putting it on TikTok. I think that’s part of the problem.”
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Read more: Inside 20 years of scandal at Strictly Come Dancing
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