As the glittering lights of Strictly Come Dancing prepare to shine once again for the show’s 21st season, set to premiere on September 20, 2025, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, the beloved series finds itself at a crossroads. Once the unassailable jewel in the BBC’s entertainment crown, Strictly now faces a swirl of controversies and backstage revelations that threaten to overshadow its trademark sequins and smiles.
Reality TV personality Sam Thompson, 33, perhaps best known for his exploits on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, has offered a candid glimpse into the less glamorous realities of supporting friends on Strictly. Thompson, who attended live tapings to cheer on his former partner Zara McDermott during her 2023 Strictly journey with professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, described the experience as a test of endurance. In a conversation with Reach, he confessed, “Strictly’s a long show. Strictly’s a long show. My god, you go and watch that live show and it’s a six-hour ordeal.”
While television audiences enjoy a tightly edited broadcast rarely exceeding 90 minutes, those in the live audience endure hours in their seats with little in the way of creature comforts. “You are only there to watch your person [but] you sit there for six hours. And they don’t give you much in terms of amenities. You get one carton of water and that’s about it for six hours,” Thompson revealed, chuckling at the memory. “It’s a long show,” he emphasized, before admitting, “I’m pretty glad that none of my friends are doing it this year. So, there’ll be no live shows for me this year.”
Thompson’s honesty offers a rare, unvarnished perspective on the show’s demanding nature—not just for the contestants, but for the loyal supporters in the wings. Despite rubbing shoulders with past Strictly stars, he has no aspirations to compete himself, and his recent comments reflect a sense of relief at being spared another marathon evening in the audience.
But the challenges of Strictly are not confined to the length of its live shows. In recent years, the BBC’s flagship has been rocked by an unprecedented wave of scandals and allegations that have forced the broadcaster to reckon with its internal culture and public image.
One of the most high-profile controversies erupted in 2023 when Sherlock actor Amanda Abbington accused her professional partner Giovanni Pernice of “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying.” Pernice, who denied the allegations, was dropped from the cast in June 2024 following a BBC investigation. The broadcaster upheld complaints of verbal bullying and harassment but found no evidence of physical aggression. The BBC issued an apology to Abbington, acknowledging the difficulty of coming forward, while Pernice’s spokesperson expressed relief that the report found no evidence of threatening or abusive behavior.
The ripples of scandal continued when Graziano Di Prima was removed from the show after his celebrity partner, Zara McDermott, alleged mistreatment during their 2023 run. Di Prima’s spokesperson confirmed that he had kicked McDermott once during rehearsals, an incident that led to his removal. Di Prima apologized, attributing the incident to his “intense passion and determination to win.” McDermott, in a public statement, described her distress at reviewing videos of the training room incidents and shared her fears of public backlash and victim-shaming. “So much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamed of,” she wrote. “However, my experience inside the training room was very different.”
Other former contestants have also spoken out about the pressures and pitfalls of the show’s training environment. Paralympian Will Bayley, who competed in 2019, suffered a devastating knee injury during rehearsals and attributed it to the relentless drive imposed by producers. “Her celebrity partner’s safety and enjoyment was always the priority throughout her time on Strictly,” a spokesperson for his partner Janette Manrara said at the time, emphasizing that Manrara had never received complaints and maintained positive relationships with her partners. Laura Whitmore, a former Love Island presenter, echoed concerns about rehearsal room culture, claiming she was “gaslit” when she raised complaints about Pernice’s behavior during her 2016 stint.
In response to mounting criticism, Strictly implemented significant changes ahead of the 2024 series, introducing chaperones during training sessions, welfare producers, and new training protocols for dancers and crew in hopes of preventing further issues.
Despite these reforms, the show has continued to attract headlines for the wrong reasons. Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans, famous for his Go Compare adverts, found himself embroiled in controversy in 2024 and 2025. A video of Evans making an inappropriate remark about a group sex session during a live tour photo call led to his removal from the Strictly live tour, and in May 2025, the BBC chose not to renew his BBC Radio Wales contract. Evans, addressing the fallout, said on Instagram, “It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract. That show wasn’t just work – it was home. It was us.”
Meanwhile, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick faced suspension from the BBC after allegedly using an ableist slur during the 2024 Strictly series. Borthwick, who had played Jay Brown on the soap since 2006, apologized, saying, “It is no excuse, but I did not fully understand the derogatory term I used and its meaning. That is on me completely. Now I am aware, I am deeply embarrassed to have used the term and directed it in the way I did.” As of September 2025, he will not return to EastEnders.
The BBC is also investigating allegations of drug use involving two unnamed Strictly stars, with the inquiry being handled by law firm Pinsent Masons. The results have yet to be released, but the allegations, first raised in March 2025, add to the cloud of scrutiny over the show.
Perhaps most troubling, on August 22, 2025, a former Strictly star in his thirties was arrested in east London on suspicion of rape and non-consensual intimate image abuse. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the investigation, which is ongoing and unrelated to the current series. The BBC declined to comment, citing the active police investigation.
Even the casting for the new season has not escaped controversy. The inclusion of Apprentice star Thomas Skinner, who attended a barbecue with US Vice President JD Vance and was photographed wearing a MAGA cap, has drawn criticism. Skinner has defended himself on social media, insisting, “I am a normal bloke and it was an amazing opportunity.” He has pushed back against being labeled controversial, stating, “All I do is share videos of me having a roast dinner, and do a morning video to say, ‘Have a good day’.”
For all its sparkle and spectacle, Strictly Come Dancing now faces a defining test: can it restore trust and joy to its audience while addressing the serious issues that have surfaced behind the scenes? As the music cues up and the dancers take to the floor, the BBC—and its loyal viewers—will be watching closely, hoping the show’s next chapter is defined by dazzling routines, not damaging headlines.
