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The BBC has announced new welfare precautions to help look after Strictly Come Dancing contestants, following allegations of abuse that have shaken the flagship show.
Last week, pro dancer Graziano Di Prima was fired over unspecified claims of “gross misconduct”, after staffers on the show who had observed Di Prima’s rehearsals with his 2023 partner, TV star Zara McDermott, were reportedly “reduced to tears” by what they saw in training.
It comes in the wake of a number of controversies to hit the popular dancing contest, after the axing of Giovanni Pernice earlier this year.
“The BBC is today announcing additional steps to strengthen welfare and support on Strictly Come Dancing,” the broadcaster said in a statement on Tuesday (16 July).
“Concerns that have arisen in recent months have been fundamentally about training and rehearsals. We have taken the decision to introduce the following additional practical steps,” it continued.
“Going forward, we will: have a production team member present during training room rehearsals at all times; increase existing support with the addition of two new roles on the show dedicated to welfare support – a Celebrity Welfare Producer and a Professional Dancer Welfare Producer; and deliver further training for the production team and crew.”
Following his axing, Di Prima had said: “I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime.”
Reports of Di Prima’s misconduct follow the dramatic departure of Giovanni Pernice in June. He was dropped from the series after his celeb partner, Sherlock actor Amanda Abbington, left the series early. Abbington then requested what was described by a source as “tense” footage of her rehearsals with Pernice for a supposed investigation.
In a recent interview, the star launched a fresh attack on the Italian dancing pro, claiming he was “awful” towards a group of former contestants.
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Pernice has denied wrongdoing, saying: “I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name.”
Earlier today, The Times had reported that the BBC were looking at tightening its duty of care protocols, with one senior TV figure calling for chaperones to be present at every rehearsal to ensure that the professionals do not take things too far.
“It would be an expensive measure to employ chaperones to attend every rehearsal and check that everything is above board,” the publication reported, “but it would mean that no one would be able to cry foul months later.”
They suggested that many pro dancers were subject to intense training when they were young, and therefore might be passing on punitive regimes to the stars they now teach.
The TV figure added that, as the BBC series has become more and more popular, there are bigger and bigger pressures for dancers and their partners to perform to a high standard and entertain the viewers.
“It’s a fundamental question that the BBC has to answer,” they said. “How does it [ensure contributor welfare] while achieving the high standards that the judges have come to demand to show the journeys of the contestants from clodhopping horses to graceful swans.
“And audience expectations have also grown as over the years viewers have come to understand more and more about what quality ballroom dancing looks like.”
In the new statement, the broadcaster continued: “As a matter of course, the BBC and BBC Studios takes duty of care extremely seriously and our processes on the show are updated every year, and we will continue to keep this under constant review. It is always important to look at whether there is more we should do.
Kate Phillips, BBC’s Director of Unscripted, said: “Whilst we know our shows have been positive experiences for the vast majority of those who have taken part, if issues are raised with us, or we’re made aware of inappropriate behaviour, we will always take that seriously and act.
“The decisive steps we have taken and are announced today, act to further strengthen the welfare and support in place for everyone involved with this production.”
The Independent has contacted the BBC for comment.
