Strictly Come Dancing’s bad week of PR just got a bit worse, with one of the show’s most popular judges now being investigated for a remark he made while working as a dancer on the show.
One of the UK’s most popular TV entertainment shows with versions in more than 60 territories around the world, Strictly has weathered a mushrooming number of claims from former contestants that the family-friendly, happy atmosphere on screen enjoyed by millions of viewers is not reflected in the behaviour by the professional dancers to their partners behind the scenes.
Now The Sun reports that one of the Strictly’s most popular faces, Anton Du Beke – who was a dancer on the show from its beginning in 2004, before being made a judge in 2021 – is facing fresh criticism for his remark made in 2009 when he was competing on the show. When faced with his celebrity partner Laila Rouass’s spray tan, he called her “a p***” (a derogatory term for someone of south-Asian heritage) and Rouass walked off. Du Beke later apologized and stayed with the show.
The Sun reports that Rouass has received huge support from fans on social media who traced the 2009 comment, and is “said to be considering legal action.”
Such speculation will add to the BBC’s woes regarding the show in what was meant to be its celebratory 20th year. One of its most popular dancers Giovanni Pernice has departed after facing allegations of bullying in rehearsals, and last week another Graziano Di Prima was sacked for “gross misconduct” after reports came to light that he had physically and verbally abused his celebrity partner during rehearsals.
The BBC has this week announced new measures to safeguard the welfare of both professionals and celebrities, including having a member of production staff in rehearsals at all times, as well as a welfare officer on hand for both parties.