Ex-Strictly contestant slams BBC bosses for leaving stars ‘unprepared’ as they reveal poor recruitment process
A FORMER Strictly star has blamed show bosses for the scandals engulfing the hit BBC dance show.
The male celebrity, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the Mail that turmoil surrounding training room misconduct has been years in the making and that famous names who sign up for the show are always under prepared for what lies ahead.
The star said execs “only have themselves to blame” when it comes to complaints being made by those taking part.
They said: “When you go in through the door, they say, ‘Listen, there is going to be a lot of intrusion in your life. You’re in the limelight for everyone to look at.’
“‘And then they say to you, “Are you OK with that?”
“That’s all they do, and the reality is, if you say ‘no’ they are not going to put you in the show.”
The show is gearing up for a big return in September after months of shocking headlines.
Italian pro dancer Graziano Di Prima was sacked after admitting to kicking Zara McDermott in rehearsals last year.
Footage of the shocking incident emerged during an investigation into fellow pro Giovanni Pernice‘s training room conduct.
Giovanni stepped away from the programme earlier this after nine years following complaints levelled at him by actress Amanda Abbington and three other former partners.
She recently gave a tearful televised interview to her Strictly co-star Krishnan Guru-Murthy in which she accused Giovanni of bullying – some of which was of a sexual nature.
Giovanni has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to his name will be cleared once the investigation’s finding are made public.
While all of this is going on a new batch of celebs are preparing to learn who their pro dancers are for 2024.
We’ve revealed Nick Knowles, Shayne Ward, Pete Wicks and ex-footballer Paul Merson will all be part of the line-up.
Bosses have struggled to sign female celebs in light of the shock revelations from last year’s series.
Strictly Come Dancing 2024: The cast
Who is confirmed to take part in the upcoming series of Strictly?
Jamie Borthwick – The EastEnders star was the first upcoming competitor to be revealed to be on the show by The Sun. He previously won the Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing in 2023. The actor was given a perfect score of 40 by the judges after dancing the Quickstep with Nancy Xu.
Nick Knowles – The TV presenter is understood to have signed up to the show after months of talks with bosses. He previously teamed up with some of the dance show’s pros, including Katya Jones and Luba Mushtuk for DIY SOS.
Pete Wicks – The former Towie personality is is the best friend of former competitor Zara McDermott’s boyfriend Sam Thompson. It’s his first break into Primetime television after he appeared on shows such as Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and The Real Full Monty – where he stripped naked for charity.
Paul Merson – The Sky pundit and former Arsenal legend is set to swap the sports studio for the BBC dancefloor. He previously overcome drink, drug and gambling addictions.
Chris McCausland – In a first for the show, Strictly has signed up the blind comedian. The 46-year-old CBeebies actor lost his sight aged 22 due to a hereditary condition. This was after the hit competition featured deaf EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis in 2021.
Tom Dean – A day after The Sun revealed the 24-year-old would take to the dancefloor, the Olympian made his own announcement. He was part of the British relay team which won Gold at the 4x200m men’s freestyle event. After accepting his medal, he will hotfoot it back to the UK for rehearsals.
Tasha Ghouri – The former reality TV star shot to fame on Love Island in 2022, but she has years of dance experience. She has a First Class Honours degree in Dance Performance, appeared in various music videos and took part in one of Europe’s biggest dance competitions, Move It.