Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC’s flagship Saturday night entertainment show, is in the midst of the biggest scandal in its 20-year history.
Two of the show’s most popular professional dancers – Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima – have been axed and are under investigation after being hit by claims of abusive behaviour towards their 2023 partners.
And, with just weeks to go until the start of the 2024 series, the support of the show’s loyal viewers appears to be waning. The BBC desperately needs to turn things around and act immediately to restore our faith in the once-glittering dance show.
Strictly scandal: Give us some transparency
Bringing back Aljaz Skorjanec, while welcomed by fans, just isn’t enough to save the series. The allegations levelled at the show’s pros are horrendous. But what exactly is being investigated? And how is it progressing?
The BBC needs to be entirely transparent about its investigation. Rumours suggested that the inquiry was looking into more than just “small fish” Giovanni Pernice, then the Graziano Di Prima allegations surfaced. Now there are reports that a third, as-yet-unnamed pro is a person of interest. Where’s it going to stop?
The BBC is funded by TV licence fees, paid by everyone who watches Strictly, so surely the BBC should be held accountable to the people who pay for the series to be brought to air? It’s time to be transparent about what’s going on.
When will we know the outcome of the BBC’s investigation?
The Strictly launch show usually airs around the first or second weekend in September, which means we’re just seven or eight weeks away from the show starting.
So will the inquiry be wrapped up then? Will fans of the show know the outcome before the series airs? Or will it hang over the show, dragging it down for the duration of the run?
There must be some idea of how much more work there is to do on the investigation, and when it is expected to end.
Will it be before the celebrities for the 2024 series start getting announced? Or will the names be announced with a dark cloud engulfing the show?
Amanda Abbington was the first celeb announced last year, on August 4. We’re little over two weeks away from that date now, so will the inquiry be finished before then? It seems unlikely…
So tell us, BBC, when will we know exactly what has been happening backstage at Strictly Come Dancing?
Issue an update on the 2024 series
We presume it’s going ahead as we haven’t heard otherwise. But is the 2024 series under threat? Or will it depend on what’s uncovered during the BBC’s investigation?
So many questions that need answers hang over the future of the show. The BBC needs to issue a statement setting things straight – if the 2024 series is in doubt, please tell us. If it’s going ahead regardless of the findings, please tell us.
Strictly scandal: Release a full statement condemning any kind of abuse towards women
The BBC has issued various statements about the scandal, and brought in new measures to keep a more watchful eye over rehearsals. But so far it hasn’t shared a statement condemning all abuse against women.
When approached for comment on the Graziano allegations, the BBC said: “While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known that the BBC has established and robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate.”
With Giovanni, the response from the BBC was much the same. But do the statements from the BBC go far enough?
With violence against women on the rise, the BBC should issue a more strongly-worded statement. And it doesn’t even need to mention the dancers under investigation by name or even Strictly Come Dancing.
It might be stating the obvious, but it needs to be said – the BBC, as the world’s leading public service broadcaster, does not condone any type of abusive behaviour towards women on its shows.
Tess and Claudia need to address elephant in the room
When the series does return, they can’t just gloss over what’s happened since the 2023 series went off air. Talk about a huge elephant in the room!
Yes, if the inquiry is ongoing, a specific statement can’t be made by hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. But some nod to what has happened behind the scenes surely needs to take place. They can’t just plaster on a smile and carry on as if nothing has happened.
It’s not all sambas, sequins and smiles on Strictly, we know that now, and these recent allegations have dulled the show’s sparkle significantly.
The BBC needs to consider its next steps carefully if it wants to save the once-glittering jewel in its Saturday night crown.
Read more: Strictly stars announce heartbreaking love split after two years together
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