Following the postponement of Pasha Kovalev and Aljaz Skorjanec's tour Here Come The Boys, fellow professional dancer, Sam Salter, accused the tour company for not letting him know he had been dropped from the new lineup. Instead, Graziano Di Prima will join the Strictly Come Dancing stars on the nationwide tour, which will now take place next year. Sam, who is a trained ballet dancer, was expected to appear alongside Broadway star Michael Dameski this year. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, neither were billed to take part in the 2021 tour.
READ: Everything you need to know about Strictly's Graziano Di Prima
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A spokesperson for Here Come The Boys has since apologised for the error, telling HELLO!: "Here Come The Boys enjoyed a hugely successful year in 2019, becoming a hugely successful 'dance show brand' starring a different configuration of dance stars each year. The casting for next year's tour was always the producer's decision. Unfortunately, we now understand that Sam's agent failed to communicate this to him.
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"Over three weeks ago we contacted all the headline artists involved in the 2020 version via their representatives, including Sam Salter’s agent, informing them that this tour would be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. We were all very upset to see that there had been a break in the communication between Sam and his agent. "
Sam Salter was in the 2020 lineup of Here Come The Boys
However, the producers are still communicating with Sam to see if there is a way to involve him. "We were also saddened that at the moment we are unable to involve Sam in the 2021 version, as the format had completely changed," the statement continued. "However, prior to Sam's postings on his social medial accounts, we had just opened discussions with his representative to find a way to involve him. Those discussions remain ongoing."
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Sam has subsequently issued the following statement: "Sometimes life in lockdown is hard. Senses are heightened. I would like to apologise to the producers and cast of Here Come The Boys for posting my recent stories about the 2021 cast. I offer all involved only the best for their 2021 production."
Both Pasha and Aljaz are famed for starring in Strictly
In the now-deleted Instagram video, Sam said: "I was told that there was no show at all, no more Here Come the Boys at all, it was done. So then I find out through a show fan that I'm not in it anymore and then through my mum that her tickets are still valid to go and see the show that I'm not in." He added: "I found out all that this morning and then they post that and say Sam was really sad. I am sad, yes but how do you even know that because you haven't asked me? You haven't even told me directly that you're going ahead. You've literally cropped me out of the poster and put someone else in."
The new dates for the Here Come The Boys tour
On Wednesday, it was confirmed that the 29-date nationwide tour - which was originally set to kick off on 13 June at Southend's Cliffs Pavilion - will now commence on 10 June 2021 in Portsmouth. The dance spectacular will feature elements of "ballroom, Latin, commercial, contemporary, ballet, acro and tap, tap dancers and more."
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