How the dark heart of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing was exposed by celebrities

Come strictly dance enjoys a unique status on British television. The much-loved BBC show has been woven into the fabric of the nation for two decades, with an unparalleled track record of bringing families together on the sofa and delivering a sequin-embroidered burst of light and energy when winter sets in. It is consistently among Britain’s highest-rated shows, has forged national treasures from its stars and spawned 60 international imitations, not least ABC’s Dancing with the stars. Another thing of note Strict is that the country has an almost spotless record when it comes to scandals. Simply put, it has always been the BBC’s golden child. Until now.

The show has been the subject of simmering concerns about bullying and misconduct for months, and the allegations finally reached boiling point this week, prompting the BBC to fire a professional dancer and make adjustments Strict production regime. The unrest can be traced back to October 2023 when Amanda Abbington, an actress best known for her role as Mary Watson in the BBC drama Sherlock, abruptly quit season 21 citing “personal reasons.” On a show famous for celebrities and their lovelorn dance partners, Abbington apparently fell in love with her duo, Giovanni Pernice.

She has since called in Carter Ruck, the aggressive London law firm, to complain to the BBC about Pernice. The precise nature of her allegations is unclear, but she has called the 33-year-old Italian “nasty” and accused him of inappropriate, bullying behavior during her five-week stay. Strict. Pernice strongly denies wrongdoing and says he is cooperating with a BBC investigation. He has been benched for season 22.

Abbington wasn’t the only woman concerned about season 21. This week there was an unexpected development: Strict professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, another Italian, was fired after the BBC obtained an exercise video of him kicking partner Zara McDermott. Love Island star. The dancer does not remember the specific incident, but acknowledges it happened and has apologized.

The BBC moved quickly to increase welfare resources Strict, but with British newspapers following the story vigorously, it is unlikely that this will be the end of the revelations. A third professional is reportedly in the picture, other women are said to be concerned (presenters Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh reportedly have doubts about Pernice), old footage is being cherry-picked and former contestants reflect on their experiences, both good and bad. Richard Coles, a famous priest who participated in the 2017 season, described it Strict as “a beautiful show with a dark heart.”

For those involved in Strict creation, the misconduct scandal is symbolic of the mission creep from the show’s original vision. Industry sources have also questioned whether it is likely that senior BBC executives, including content chief Charlotte Moore, were unaware of the abuse allegations in the entertainment series. There is a sense that the scandal is serious Strictbut not existentially so – especially in a year when the show is celebrating its twentieth anniversary and remains so beloved by British audiences.

The BBC declined to comment on recent statements. It has pledged to investigate any issues with “care, fairness and sensitivity” and says it takes the duty of care very seriously. “Our processes at the fair are updated every year and we will continue to monitor this on an ongoing basis,” he said this week.

Hyper competitive

Jane Lush, the BBC’s former entertainment boss, who gave the green light Strict in 2004, Deadline reports that the cutthroat nature of professional dancing has seeped in “through the back door” of the juggernaut. She acknowledges that the first seasons were more competitive than the BBC originally envisaged, but that this spirit has been further boosted in the call for Strict famous glitterball trophy. Lush adds that the joy of the show is seeing contestants like Ed Balls, a former minister, embrace the experience and improve their skills, even if they don’t become skilled dancers.

“It’s changed,” agrees a senior producer who was involved Strict early seasons, but wishes to remain anonymous. “In the beginning, the production and audiences enjoyed British-style amateurism. If you look back at the first few seasons, the level of dancing is good, but it’s light years away from where we need to be. The expectation is that amateurs will reach semi-pro status.”

Di Prima is perhaps a good example of translating his experiences into exacting standards during rehearsals. Mark Borkowski, who acts as spokesperson for Di Prima, explains that his client comes from a “poor background” in rural Sicily and learned the trade during “arduous” training at Team Diablo, a famous dance school in Bologna. Borkowski says he “doesn’t excuse” dancer’s abuse of McDermott, but tries to give context to tutoring styles Strict professionals consider this normal.

There is a feeling in the Di Prima camp that more guidance from producers would have been welcome. “If they have a hot-headed Sicilian character, why don’t they get better parameters?” adds a source familiar with processes Strict. Sue Ayton, an agent who has placed clients including Angela Rippon Strict, argues that the BBC could be more open with celebrities and the public about the rigors of the competition. Ayton told Radio 4 The Media Show that the BBC doesn’t want to puncture it Strict “fantasy” that it is a joyful ride for everyone involved.

The BBC’s plan to introduce chaperones appears to be a recognition that couples should not be alone for long periods of time. A recent participant tells Deadline that the professionals design training regimes and 30% or less of rehearsals are filmed by BBC Studios, the BBC’s commercial production unit. Choreographers visited briefly during the week, but as long as a video of a dance was sent to them Strict producers Wednesday, couples had plenty of freedom to perfect a routine.

BBC Studios cameras did not record Di Prima kicking McDermott and the dancer did not film the incident, meaning it was likely captured by McDermott himself. In a statement this week, McDermott said she found the footage “incredibly distressing” but praised the BBC’s handling of her complaint. It is not clear if she secretly filmed their dance routines or if it was part of their training methods. An ex-contestant tells Deadline that self-filming was left to the discretion of couples.

There would be better oversight baked into the format if it were pitched today, says one former Strict producer. “The world has changed a lot in twenty years,” they add. “I’m sure if they started production on Season 1 this fall, there would have been supervisors in the room.” The source adds that this is especially important for female celebrities, who are led by their male partners, creating a potentially problematic power dynamic. Welfare support for the 2023 season included access to advice and talent producers.

While Lush supports further improvements, she believes chaperones could be an overcorrection. She worries it could change the dynamic between dance partners and disrupt their chemistry. “Members of the team should have to drop by sporadically unannounced rather than have a full-time supervisor which I think would hinder really good relationships,” says the former BAFTA chairman.

Who knows?

There are conflicting opinions about whether BBC executives would have been aware of the problems Strict. A leading entertainment producer who has worked with the BBC for decades has compared the broadcaster’s handling of misconduct concerns to the Post Office scandal, a miscarriage of justice that went unnoticed for years. “People know about these things, it’s what they want to see that matters,” this person says.

This theory is supported by recently surfaced clips from the early seasons of the series Strict with behavior that could be considered unacceptable by modern standards. Footage originally broadcast on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two showed ex-pro James Jordan furiously kicks a chair and promises to push partner Georgina Bouzova “to her limit.” Jordan said this week that the clip was shot and edited for entertainment. A second clip shows Brendan Cole, another ex-pro, slapping his partner Fiona Phillips on the butt and being aggressive.

Another producer states that abuse can often remain hidden until the victim is willing to speak out. “Unfortunately, it is absolutely possible that the BBC would not have known,” this person argues, pointing to McDermott’s reluctance to come forward. In her statement she said: “I was afraid for my future, I was afraid of victimization.”

The BBC will likely be questioned Strict next week when director general Tim Davie presents the company’s annual report. Kate Phillips, the BBC’s director of unscripted content, was at pains this week to point out that the “vast majority” of participants have had “positive experiences” with the show and where concerns are raised “will We always take this seriously and take action.”

Strict is a central part of the BBC’s public service mission, but it is also a lucrative commercial asset for BBC Studios. The production branch is in discussions with producers outside Great Britain to guarantee safety Strict the scandal does not trickle down to other areas. A spokesperson for BBC Studios said “new measures being introduced in Britain” will help ensure “ongoing dialogue” around international versions of the show.

Strict returns to BBC1 in September, complete with presenting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Lorraine Heggessey, the former controller of BBC1, predicts the series will bounce back: “Strict can get over this. We have to stick to the positives, address the problem and move on.” Ex-BBC entertainment chief Lush puts it this way: “Long live Strict.”