BBC boss Tim Davie addresses Strictly's future amid 'gross misconduct' claims
Tim Davie has broken his silence on the future of Strictly Come Dancing. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the BBC's director general issued an apology to contestants, noting that there had been an "oversight in the training rooms" that needs to be addressed.
Referring to the ongoing claims of 'gross misconduct' behind the scenes, Tim stated that he'd been "disappointed" to hear of the upset caused to previous contestants. "There will be a degree of competitiveness and will to do well, but there are limits and the line should never be crossed," he said. "We never tolerate unacceptable behaviour of any kind."
Confirming that Strictly will return in September 2024, Tim added: "We have a brilliant line-up this year and are keen to get going."
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After a 20-year run, the BBC has recently come under fire for its welfare practices. Earlier this year, Giovanni Pernice was accused of "abusive" and "threatening" behaviour by his former dance partner, Amanda Abbington, leading to his departure from the show.
The broadcaster responded by launching an official investigation, which led to the re-examination of rehearsal footage, and the subsequent axing of Graziano di Prima. After the dancer's teaching methods were deemed unacceptable, his former dance partner, Zara McDermott, released an official statement.
Beginning by praising the show's production team and her fellow contestants, the star noted: "My experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredibly distressing to watch," she explained.
"I would like to thank the BBC & BBC Studios for their swift action and incredibly high level of support, as well as everyone who has reached out to me – it really truly means a lot," she concluded.
Adding fuel to the fire, last week a new report suggested that a "third person of interest," had also been named, although the dancer in question was no longer with the show. The individual in question is yet to be identified.
In the meantime, former contestant Will Bayley has shared his experiences in a new interview. Claiming a lack of duty of care on the BBC's part, the Paralympian – who competed on the show in 2019 – was left with "horrific" injuries after he was encouraged to jump from height for a routine.
Will was born with arthrogryposis, which affects his limbs. As a result, his coach had told the Strictly team that Will would be unable to do jumps – a fact that was ignored
"My knee will always be a problem. I can now only train for a couple hours before it's sore. I felt like it was my fault. The bosses made me feel like that," Will told The Sun.
He has since appeared on BBC Breakfast, where he called for change. "If the BBC are brilliant enough to get people with disabilities in, they have to support those people and make sure that they are safe," he said, adding that he'd previously "brought up" this issue many times before.
