Reverend Richard Coles has become the latest Strictly alumni to weigh in on the recent scandal as the BBC crisis deepens.
The radio presenter, 62, appeared on the show in 2017 where he was partnered with Australian professional dancer Dianne Buswell.
However the writer has admitted that whilst he had a great experience on the show he ‘isn’t surprised’ by the allegations.
Speaking in an interview with Times Radio he said: ‘I’ve spoken to both contestants and also professionals about it. And I think no one has been surprised that this stuff has surfaced.’
He also explained: ‘I remember somebody who worked on the show for years and years turning to me and saying “Strictly is a wonderful show with a dark heart” and I never really understood what that meant.
Strictly’s Reverend Richard Coles has admitted he ‘isn’t surprised’ by the abuse allegations as he weighsed in on show’s ‘dark heart’ following Graziano Di Prima’s sacking in an interview with Times Radio on Wednesday
Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the show last week over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year’s series
‘But perhaps one of the things that meant is what you don’t see. And that is how intensively competitive that is.’
Richard’s words come after it was revealed a third Strictly Come Dancing professional has reportedly been named as a ‘person of interest’ in the wake of abuse and bullying allegations overshadowing the show.
Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the show last week over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year’s series.
It came just weeks after Giovanni Pernice, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is conducted over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other former celeb partners.
Speaking about his own time on the show, Richard added: ‘My own experience with my own dance partner Dianne Buswell was uniformly good. We had a fantastic relationship both on and off camera.
‘I wasn’t aware at all of anything untoward at the time. In fact, Giovanni who I coincided with, was partnered with Debbie McGee who has had nothing but praise for him I think.’
However, the star also explained how intensely competitive it is as he explained: ‘I think the fact that it’s so important to the BBC, how much effort goes into maintaining the glitter on the glitter ball, if you see what I mean.
‘All human experience is mixed, we know that. Introduce that element of competition to it, you know, it’s a career-making or a career-breaking experience for some people.
‘And you can understand why the smile perhaps gets a little fixed and the glitter a little bit shiny.’
Speaking in an interview with Times Radio he said: ‘I remember somebody who worked on the show for years and years turning to me and saying “Strictly is a wonderful show with a dark heart” and I never really understood what that meant’
The radio presenter, 62, appeared on the show in 2017 where he was partnered with Australian professional dancer Dianne Buswell, he described his own experience as ‘uniformly good,’ adding ‘We had a fantastic relationship both on and off camera’
He added: ‘Strictly is a competition. It works because there is an elimination at the heart of it. And that elimination can be a brutal experience’
He added: ‘Strictly is a competition. It works because there is an elimination at the heart of it. And that elimination can be a brutal experience and it’s full of very competitive people doing what they can to avoid being eliminated and that can sometimes make things extremely intense.
‘I think it is tougher at the front of the pack where people have a chance of winning and begin to see that prospect of winning come into focus.
‘The world of professional ballroom and Latin is extremely competitive. These dancers have been doing it literally since they were children. It’s unsentimental, it’s brutal, and they work in regimes which are impossibly disciplined, I think, for people who aren’t used to that.
‘So often it’s a bit of a cultural shock for people coming into it. That’s not to excuse or condone any inappropriate behaviour.
‘It’s quite right of the BBC with its duty of care to protect contestants from that and also to just help dancers work out what the right angle of approach is to the programme and the people they work with.’
He concluded: ‘I think everyone’s just concerned to see that appropriate measures are put in to mitigate it, I think.’
On Tuesday night it was revealed that a third professional dancer on the show has been named as a ‘person of interest’ in the wake of the abuse and bullying allegations.
BBC executives sacked Graziano after members of production presented bosses with video of the pro dancer ‘hitting and kicking’ Love Island star Zara during training last Autumn.
But there have been accusations of a massive cover-up by the BBC over claims crew members complained about Graziano’s behaviour during the series but no action was taken.
It came just weeks after Giovanni Pernice , 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is conducted over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Amanda Abbington, 50
There have been accusations of a massive cover-up by the BBC over claims crew members complained about Graziano’s behaviour during the series
Zara herself admitted in her statement shared on Tuesday that she was too worried about coming forward to complain about Graziano’s behaviour
When a group of Strictly production staff witnessed the way Graziano treated Zara in last year’s series, they reported their concerns to their superiors. But, instead of sacking him, senior execs ignored their worries and have Graziano ‘quiet warnings’.
It was only when staff backed up their allegations with video evidence last week – including a clip of Graziano hitting Zara – that bosses were galvanised into action and sacked him. But this was nine months after they had first raised the alarm.
One BBC insider told the Mail’s Katie Hind: ‘There is absolutely no doubt that those very high up on Strictly, and wider at the BBC, knew about Graziano’s behaviour – but they allowed him still to appear on screen.’
The BBC’s official response was: ‘While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well known that the BBC has established robust duty of care procedures and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate.’
But Strictly sources told the Mail they believe there was a ‘cover-up’ of Graziano’s behaviour, which ‘bosses hoped would save fan-favourite Di Prima from being ousted’.
Zara herself admitted in her statement shared on Tuesday that she was too worried about coming forward to complain about Graziano’s behaviour, in a sign that she too didn’t want to tarnish the show’s wholesome reputation as well as her own career prospects.
‘I have wrested with the fear of opening up – I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming,’ Zara wrote on Instagram.
With news this week that a third professional dancer – who is no longer on the show – is also part of the probe into the BBC series, insiders have told The Sun that it is ‘becoming clear is that there appears to be a more widespread issue over the conduct of some of the professionals in training.’
Executives at the BBC are said to be ‘deeply worried’ that the fans will stop watching as scandal continues to surround their their flagship show
‘The more people who come forward, the clearer the picture is becoming.’
And all this is threatening the show’s major 20th anniversary series.
By now Stefania Aleksander, the show’s long-serving booker, has usually signed up at least six celebrities, whose names inevitably find their way into the public domain.
This time last year – Zara, Angela Rippon and Angela Scanlon had already signed up for the show. Finalist Layton Williams had also agreed to appear and Les Dennis was on the verge of doing so, with all of those names leaked to the public.
This time round though there has been no leaks suggesting a crisis at the earliest stage of the series.
Insiders at the Corporation say they are having problems recruiting female celebs in particular, especially high-profile ones.
‘Usually it is the women who are more keen,’ says a television executive connected to the series. ‘Not only is it an opportunity to get dressed up but appearing on Strictly is also much more fortuitous for females’ careers than men’s.
‘But word has got around that it isn’t exactly a walk in the park, so getting them has a been a lot more challenging.’
The show, according to inside sources, is in ‘meltdown’ and the upper echelons of both Strictly and the wider BBC have been locked in meetings over the weekend as they attempt to work out how they can survive the scandal.
One said: ‘There have been many conversations about how this is dealt with but the immediate problem is this year’s cast… There has been lots of swearing and frustration.’
Executives at the BBC are said to be ‘deeply worried’ that the fans will stop watching as scandal continues to surround their their flagship show.
‘The last nine months have been a disaster,’ says a well-informed source. ‘With no idea where it is going to end, the anxiety amongst the upper echelons of the BBC is through the roof.’