Peter Andre has broken his silence on the ongoing Strictly Come Dancing scandal.
The show has been embroiled in a growing crisis in recent weeks, with multiple stars making allegations of abuse and harassment towards their partners during their time on the BBC show.
The 51-year-old singer, who appeared on the 2015 series of the BBC dance show, spoke about his personal experience and admitted that these things should not happen “behind closed doors”.
Now, writing in his Ok! columnPeter said: ‘I’ve been reading a lot about what’s going on with Strictly at the moment but I can only really comment on my own experience on the show.
“I was surrounded by a great group of people. We don’t know what’s true, but accusations are still just accusations until proven.
Peter Andre has broken his silence on the Strictly Come Dancing scandal and says this shouldn’t happen “behind closed doors”
In his OK! column, the 51-year-old singer wrote: “I’ve been reading up on what’s going on with Strictly at the moment but I can only really comment on my own experience of the show.”
‘On the other hand, this kind of thing shouldn’t happen behind closed doors. It will be a difficult time for Strictly and everyone involved.
‘The show could be in the spotlight for a different reason this year.’
Strictly is currently facing its biggest crisis in its 20-year run since returning to the BBC in its current form, following a wave of complaints from former celebrity contestants in recent months.
Professional Graziano Di Prima, 30, was booted from the show last week following allegations he allegedly punched and spat at his dance partner Zara McDermott, 27, during rehearsals.
Weeks earlier, Giovanni Pernice, 33, was suspended pending a BBC investigation into allegations of off-camera misconduct by Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other celebrity exes.
James Jordan has also fuelled the Strictly bullying controversy after Steve Backshall complained that he was being “bullied” by his dance partner while on the show in 2014.
The former Strictly pro took to social media to mock the seasoned TV explorer after it emerged he made a complaint to the BBC about professional dancer Ola’s “rude and impatient manner”.
The show has been embroiled in a growing crisis in recent weeks, with multiple stars making allegations of abuse and harassment towards their partners during their time on the BBC show.
Last month, Graziano Di Prima was fired over reports that he had physically and verbally abused Zara McDermott during rehearsals. Graziano apologised for kicking his former partner and added that other allegations did not match “what he remembers”.
Responding to one Strictly fan’s mocking disbelief that the seasoned explorer, who has dived with great white sharks and wrestled venomous snakes in his career, could be “reduced to tears” by the 5ft 4in dancer, James joked: “Please help me!!”
MailOnline has revealed that the show’s presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman could begin the new series with an apology for alleged abusive behaviour suffered by celebrities in a desperate bid to save the show.
BBC bosses are said to be desperate to put an immediate end to the scandal when it begins in September and sources have said it “cannot start soon enough”.
They said the presenters could be asked to address the issue at the start of the first show and could even apologise after complaints from Amanda Abbington, Zara McDermott and Steve Backshall.
The source told us: ‘This year’s Strictly is the 20th anniversary and will be a celebration of the show and its history.
“The BBC will want to put an immediate end to what has happened. The programme cannot start soon enough.”
This comes amid claims that a host of celebrity Strictly contestants have set up a “secret support group” where they have shared their own horror stories and corroborated each other’s claims.
But Tess and Claudia are unable to cope with the sudden departures of Giovanni and Graziano.
Graziano admits kicking Zara in rehearsal, but Giovanni has dismissed allegations about his teaching methods as “simply false.” Supporters say he has high standards.
“The BBC won’t want to get involved in that,” the source said.
The series launch show where the couples will be revealed is scheduled for September 4, with the live shows beginning two weeks later.
It will then run for 13 weeks until the finale in December.
