GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes has delivered his verdict on the latest scandal to rock BBC show Strictly Come Dancing as a “third professional” has been investigated in light of “bullying” allegations.
Professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima were axed from the celebrity dancing competition after former partners Amanda Abbington and Zara McDermott spoke out about the treatment they received during training on the show.
Taking to social media, Di Prima released a statement to confirm his departure, admitting his “intense passion and determination affected my training regime”, with reports surrounding McDermott suggested the Love Island star was “kicked and hit” in rehearsals.
Sharing his thoughts on the allegations, Eamonn Holmes claimed “society has changed and what is expected of them” and it is “not the programme that needs to change”.
Professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima are the centre of the latest ‘bullying’ allegations on the BBC show
BBC
Praising Strictly, of which ex-wife Ruth Langsford appeared on in 2017, Eamonn told GB News: “It has a great feel good factor. People say there was kicking and stuff, we don’t know, we haven’t seen it.
“We don’t know what determines kicking or whatever. But what I’m saying is, if I told Stephanie, ‘come on, come on!’, am I bullying her by shouting at that level? Right now, we might not say that, but in five years people will say, actually that’s disgraceful – so it’s all changing now.”
Detailing the allegations with Eamonn and Isabel, Showbiz Reporter Stephanie Takyi claimed that the incidents “couldn’t have happened at a worse time” for the show, as it approaches its 20th anniversary.
Takyi explained: “They’ve got so many things in store – there’s been speculation that they want to do stuff at Buckingham Palace.
Eamonn Holmes claimed ‘society has changed’ on light of the Strictly Come Dancing allegations
GB News
“So as with any reality TV show, if there’s been any concerns flagged up of physical or verbal abuse, a broadcaster has to move to action.”
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Noting the statements of Di Prima and Pernice, Takyi highlighted that the “passion and determination” of the professional dancers on the show sometimes doesn’t resonate with the celebrities signing up to “get the pay check”.
Takyi told GB News: “It’s okay when these celebrities are getting the pay check to be on Strictly because they like the profile, but they need to understand hard work comes with Strictly.
“You’re not just going to go on and be able to do the dance moves. But we live in a different culture now, so what Strictly might have got away with five years ago, it’s not going to get away with now.”
Sharing her view on the Strictly scandal, Isabel Webster claimed that the standards have become “so high” in recent years, there was most likely “horrible pressure” on celebrities like McDermott and Abbington to do well.
Isabel Webster claimed that the training for Strictly Come Dancing has become ‘toxic’
GB News
Isabel said: “Having watched it for 20 years, the standard of dancing now, they’re almost professional celebrities every week. And so if you are somebody like Zara who isn’t a good dancer, she was a sweet girl, but a hopeless dancer, and so there was probably horrific pressure on her.
“And the professional dancers, who are also celebrities themselves, want to be the winners. They want to be back the following year, so it’s almost a bit toxic now. They want to be in it to win it.”
Following the investigations and axes of Di Prima and Pernice, the BBC are now reportedly planning to introduce “chaperones” during training, and the appointment of two new welfare producers.
A statement from the BBC has said: “Concerns that have arisen in recent months have been fundamentally about training and rehearsals. The actions we announce today are designed to address that.”