Strictly stars are outraged at the show’s bosses axing its longest-serving professional dancer Karen Hauer.
The Venezuelan-American star’s job on the BBC dance show is under threat 12 years after she joined back in 2012 following her early elimination from the current series in week three with Paul Merson.
At the age of 42, Ms Hauer is also the oldest professional of the troupe and is much loved by Strictly viewers.
Ms Hauer isn’t the only older star on the show whose future was reported to be under threat by The Sun newspaper.
Ukrainian star Nadiya Bychkova and Katya Jones, both 35, could also face the axe, while the likes of Jowita Pryztal, 29, and Michelle Tsiakkas, also 29 and Dianne Buswell, 33, all appear to be safe.
Strictly stars are outraged at the show’s bosses axing its longest-serving professional dancer Karen Hauer
The Venezuelan-American star’s job on the BBC dance show is under threat 12 years after she joined back in 2012 following her early elimination from the current series in week three with Paul Merson
Insiders say staff on the show are furious at the idea of axing Ms Hauer, with one source citing it as being ‘another Arlene Phillips’ situation following claims Strictly bosses want to have a refresh of their line up.
One told the Mail: ‘It is absolutely outrageous Karen would be booted off the show. She is absolutely committed, she is so fit, an amazing dancer and she has never cause Strictly any problems at all.
‘While the show has been under so much scrutiny in the last nine months, none of it has involved her. She is a total pro, it all smacks of Arlene Phillips, get rid of the older woman and replace her with a younger one. She is such a safe pair of hands, she can be coupled with anyone and gives it her best.
‘It would be devastating to for the BBC to get rid of the older women, you expect more from them.’
Strictly found itself at the centre of sexist and ageist allegations back in 2008 when Dame Arlene Phillips was axed as a judge at the age of 65.
Ukrainian star Nadiya Bychkova and Katya Jones, both 35, could also face the axe, while the likes of Jowita Pryztal, 29, and Michelle Tsiakkas, also 29 and Dianne Buswell, 33, all appear to be safe
She had been on the show since its launch in 2004 but chiefs decided to replaced her by series five winner Alesha Dixon, who was 30 at the time – 35 years Dame Arlene’s junior, and was significantly less experienced in ballroom dance.
Since joining Strictly, Ms Hauer has been paired with the likes of Radio 2 DJ Jeremy Vine, the late Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers and Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer.
While she has never won the series, she did come second with Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing in 2020.
Ms Hauer was previously married to fellow pro dancer Kevin Clifton. They wed in 2015 but split in 2018, shortly before Clifton met his current wife Stacey Dooley on Strictly.
It was previously reported back in July that some of Strictly’s biggest professional names were at risk of being axed, as bosses planned to bring in some fresh young names.
A source told The Sun: ‘There’s the fear that being on the show leaves them more open to feeling entitled and untouchable.
‘It’s not a done deal, and it’s not just going to be a case of the oldest or longest-serving being shown the door. It would be a carefully considered process, with other factors taken into account too.
Currently, only Katya is still competing on this year’s Strictly, but she was previously embroiled in a ‘groping’ scandal with her celebrity partner Wynne EvansÂ
Before adding: ‘The fact that the BBC are even considering making big changes and bringing in fresh blood is a sign of how keen they are to move on and make every effort to ensure nothing like this happens again’.
Strictly’s milestone 20th year has been marred by scandal – after actress Amanda Abbington unexpectedly quit the show last October before claiming her partner Giovanni Pernice was abusive towards her. He was later cleared of ten of her 16 allegations.
The show was then hit with a fresh wave of scandal when Graziano Di Prima was sacked in July for ‘kicking’ his partner, Love Island star Zara McDermott.
While the BBC have declined to comment on the shake-up speculation, it marks the latest in a series of times the show has been accused of ageism.
Most famously, Dame Arlene Phillips found herself dubbed ‘the face of anti-ageism’ when she was axed from the show in 2009.
Dame Arlene was booted off when she was 66, and replaced by the much younger and less experienced Alesha Dixon (then aged 30).
It caused such a scandal that even Harriet Harman , then Minister for Women and Equality, got involved.
Most famously, Dame Arlene Phillips found herself dubbed ‘the face of anti-ageism’ when she was axed from the show in 2009 and replaced by younger Alesha DixonÂ
In an extraordinary Government intervention, Labour’s Deputy Leader described the BBC’s decision to replace Dame Arlene as ‘absolutely shocking’ and called for her to be reinstated.
Speaking in the House Of Commons, she shared: ‘As Equalities Minister, I am suspicious that there is age discrimination there. So I’d like to take the opportunity of asking the BBC: it is not too late, we want Arlene Phillips in the next edition of Strictly Come Dancing.’
Last month, Dame Arlene, now 81, reignited the ageism row as she discussed the older contestants on the show.
She told Express Online at the Women of the Year Awards: ‘I don’t particularly like the way older women are perceived [on the show].
‘I don’t like that there is a certain, there are some people who are phenomenal as they age and it’s not that they should have danced before, but the one thing I don’t like about Strictly is many of the older women who take part are really serious about it, as they should be, but they also take it to heart and that breaks them as women.’