Strictly’s 2024 lineup ‘will feature more men than women for the first time in the show’s history – sparking fears female stars were reluctant to take part following abuse scandal’

The Strictly Come Dancing lineup is set to feature more men than women for the first time in the show’s history, after the complete list of stars was leaked on Monday.

The primetime family favourite is currently embroiled in controversy over how the professional dancers teach the celebs, with multiple accusations emerging of bullying and abusive behaviour. 

While stars Chris McCausland, JB Gill, Toyah Wilcox, Punam Krishnan, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, Pete Wicks and Wynne Evans have already been confirmed, The Sun has reported that EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and Miranda actress Sarah Hadland will also take part.

Rounding out the lineup will be presenter Nick Knowles, Olympic swimmer Tom Dean, footballer Paul Merson, presenter Sam Quek, singer Shayne Ward, Gladiator Montell Douglas and Miranda actress Sarah Hadland.

This means that nine men will be taking part in this year’s Strictly, alongside just six women, with sources claiming it’s sparked fears that the show’s recent abuse scandals has put off any female stars who considered taking part.

A source said: ‘Looking at the figures, it’s hard to see how the ongoing controversy over bullying could not have affected the recruitment process for this year’s Strictly.

‘At no point in the show’s history has there been such a small proportion of women.

‘There were signs that there might be fewer women celebs taking part, one of which was the fact Graziano wasn’t replaced by another male pro on the show, but it’s still something of a shock to see.’

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Strictly Come Dancing for comment.

On Wednesday, Tasha and Pete were the two latest stars to be confirmed for Strictly’s new series. 

Tasha has become the first Love Island star to appear on the show with a cochlear implant, which is an electronic device she had fitted aged five.

The model is passionate about raising awareness for the deaf community. 

She appeared on ITV‘s Love Island in 2022, and since then has amassed a following of over 2.2 million across her social media network. 

The full list reportedly includes nine men, in contrast to just six women, sparking fears that the show’s recent abuse scandal put off female stars from taking part

Tasha has worked with Number 10 Downing Street, The Department of Education and MED-AL to champion issues close to her heart. She is a published author with her debut novel Hits Different and has her own podcast, Superpowers with Tasha. 

Announcing the news on the KISS FM Breakfast Show on Wednesday Tasha gushed: ‘Pinch me, I can’t believe I’m going to be on Strictly Come Dancing!’

 ‘I’ve been watching the show since I was little – it’s a firm Ghouri family favourite – so this is a total dream come true. I know it’s going to be an unforgettable experience and I hope to represent and make everyone proud out on that dancefloor.’

Pete also called into Kiss FM to confirm his signing on Wednesday morning.

He told the show: ‘its a mixture of excited and petrified, generally petrified. I’ve been telling people, can you really imagine me really doing this and their like, yeah your right you wouldn’t.’

‘I’m going to have to switch my phone off now I’ll have a load of messages.’

He revealed that he had already spilled the news to his best friend Sam Thompson, who ‘cried.’  

‘I’m not joking he screamed jumped up and down and cried. He has already planned that he is coming every Saturday and hes making T-shirts and he is my number one fan in life, he is already making T-shirts. He’s a bit like Martha in Baby Reindeer.’

Strictly has been plunged into chaos in recent weeks as a number of allegations of abuse from professionals have come to light.

The scandal erupted when actress Amanda Abbington quit the show last year before claiming that her partner Giovanni Pernice was abusive towards her – later leaving the show.

Soon after it emerged that Graziano Di Prima had been sacked for ‘kicking’ his partner Love Island star Zara McDermott.

There has since been a number of accusations against pro dancers old and new, leaving a dark cloud over the much-loved show on what is its 20th anniversary.

It comes as Laura Whitmore accused BBC bosses of ‘gaslighting’ her over her Strictly Come Dancing experience with Giovanni Pernice.

The TV presenter, 39, who was partnered with the Italian dancer, 33, on the show in 2016, recently confirmed she’d spoken to the show about Giovanni’s ‘inappropriate behaviour’, following her claims that she initially raised concerns to the BBC six years ago. 

And in a dramatic new statement, the star has shed more light on her Strictly experience, telling how it’s ‘all coming out now’ amid the flurry of accusations against the show and its professional dancers.

Speaking to The Irish Post, Laura told how she believes that the industry has changed for women since she found fame, noting that women are ‘louder’ and are now ‘pulling people up on things.’

She added of her Strictly situation: ‘The stuff I’m not going to talk to you about now, because it’s under review, that’s all coming out now, the stuff I tried to speak about eight years ago. 

When asked if she wasn’t ‘listened to’ when she first raised her complaints, she shared: ‘Or [I was] gaslit to make it seem normalised.’

Laura went on to add: ‘It’s a shame that it has to come out in such a victim-shaming way, which it always does. And being the first person to speak up about anything is always hard.’

The presenter’s words comes days after she broke her silence over the Strictly scandal and confirmed she’d spoken to BBC bosses about Giovanni’s behaviour.

The scandal erupted when actress Amanda Abbington quit the show last year before claiming that her partner Giovanni Pernice was abusive towards her – later leaving the show 

Although she hasn’t made a formal complaint, Laura hopes to get ‘just an acceptance’ of what happened to her in the rehearsals room.

Laura admitted she has discussed with six former Strictly stars about their time on the show and took their information to the BBC.

On an Instagram post, Laura wrote: ‘I was trying not to comment on recent press speculation until the BBC review is complete but feel there is a lot of misinformation in the press and I want to help and show support by setting the record straight.

‘I was asked to speak to the BBC along with six people that I know of (who deserve anonymity as they don’t want to be dragged through the press), about inappropriate behaviour they experienced similar to mine with the same individual. 

‘I initially raised concerns back in 2016. I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong.

‘The aim of this is to show a pattern of behaviour that I believe needs to stop. My evidence is to support other people’s experience. It’s a shame it takes this for someone to be heard.

‘I am not looking for anything just an acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and that it won’t happen to anyone else again.

‘Because I have not made an official complaint, and am providing evidence of my experience to support the investigation, not all the communication will be passed on to all parties involved.

‘Misinformation is being put into the press so I want to set the record straight. Victim blaming must stop or we will never get better. 

‘I’ve tried to speak up in the correct way. I know the BBC and all outlets continue to do their best to be better, but for that to happen we must speak up.’