Table of Contents
Strictly Come Dancing has announced the addition of two celebrities with links to dancers involved in the show’s bullying scandal, as further allegations from production staff emerged.
Reality show regular Pete Wicks and deaf Love Island actress Tasha Ghouri are among the latest stars to be announced for the upcoming BBC series.
Their hiring came as a surprise, given Pete’s close relationship with a whistleblower in the harassment investigation and Tasha’s dating history with a fired professional.
This comes after a BBC News investigation included several current and former Strictly crew members who came forward to allege abuse.
The latest recruit, Pete, 36, star of The Only Way Is Essex, is friends with Zara McDermott, who danced on last year’s series.
Strictly Come Dancing has announced the addition of two celebrities linked to dancers involved in the show’s bullying scandal, as further allegations from production staff emerged.
She made complaints about the show and its professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, 30, who was subsequently fired.
Zara said she performed on Strictly with a broken leg following an injury during training and needed painkillers to get through the ten-hour rehearsal sessions.
Graziano was sacked after admitting to kicking her during training.
Pete is joined by Tasha, 25, who took part in Love Island in 2022. She used to date Strictly Professional’s Giovanni Pernice, 33, who quit the show following bullying allegations by Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington, 50.
Giovanni has continually denied allegations of any “threatening and abusive behavior.”
Strictly faces further allegations of mistreatment by several crew members.
A former runner on the show told a BBC News investigation that a producer shouted at him and called him “stupid”, and he once had to deal with a celebrity contestant who shouted at him and got so close to his face that he could feel himself being spat on.
“The whole culture was toxic, particularly for junior staff,” the anonymous former crew member said.
Reality TV regular Pete Wicks and Love Island star Tasha Ghouri are among the latest stars to be announced for the upcoming BBC series.
Latest signing Pete, 36, star of The Only Way Is Essex, is friends with Zara McDermott, who danced on last year’s series (pictured with Zara’s boyfriend and Pete’s best friend Sam Thompson).
She made complaints about the show and its professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, 30, who was subsequently fired.
Pete is joined by Tasha, 25, who took part in Love Island in 2022.
She used to date Strictly Professional’s Giovanni Pernice, 33, who quit the show following bullying allegations by Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington, 50.
“It was harassing behavior. I felt sick and couldn’t sleep or eat.”
Another source told the inquiry that junior staff would say they had experienced “verbal abuse” from some of the dancers “to an extraordinary level”.
A former Strictly staff member revealed there was “a lot of shouting backstage” and said she was warned about a dancer who has since left.
She said: “The way he spoke to women, including dancers and junior staff, was disgusting and sexist.”
BBC Studios said it “does not acknowledge” these new claims and “nor will the hundreds of production professionals who worked with us over the two decades the programme was on the air.”
STRICTLY 2024 LINEUP
Chris McCausland
Age: 46
Profession: Comedian
Chris says: “If anyone is thinking, ‘How the hell is he going to do that?’ rest assured, I’m thinking exactly the same thing.”
Dr. Punam Krishan
Age: unknown
Profession: Family doctor and announcer
Punam says: ‘I’ve watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels even more special that it’s the 20th year, I can’t believe it’s me who’s going to be on Strictly now.’
Willcox Toy Store
Age: 66
Profession: Singer, actor, presenter
Toyah says: “I’m so excited and I love this show. Being a part of it, the spray tan and the glow. It’s a landmark year for me. I came in as a retiree, went to Glasto and now I’m spray tanning.”
Pete Wicks
Age:36
Profession: Reality star
Pete says: “Dancing live in front of the whole country every Saturday? Absolutely terrifying. But anyone who knows me knows I love a challenge and trying new things, so I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
JB Gill
Age: 37
Profession: Singer
JB says: “A lot of ballroom dance styles are very foreign to me. I didn’t do those dances as a kid. I’m not a professional dancer.”
Wynne Evans
Age: 52
Profession: Opera singer, presenter
Wynne says: ‘The things that make me nervous are the ones that involve jumping, I don’t really want to do the jive, I get a little nervous about that.
Tasha Ghouri
Age: 25
Profession: Model and reality star
Tasha says: ‘I’ve been watching the show since I was little, it’s a Ghouri family favourite so this is totally a dream come true.’
(tags to translate)dailymail