Strictly stars who have spoken out about their negative experience on show

After leaving on Halloween week, Zara appeared to have a close friendship with her Strictly co-star Graziano di Prima. However, a very different story emerged after the pro was fired from the show for "gross misconduct" following a BBC probe into the rehearsals. 

Speaking about the situation in an Instagram post, Zara said that the rehearsal footage was "incredibly distressing to watch", adding that she was scared of victim shaming if she spoke about her negative experience. Graziano has apologised for his behaviour following his firing. 

Amanda quit the show midway through the 2023 series, and admitted that she had PTSD from taking part and that she didn't get on with her dance partner, who she described as "nasty". 

BBC confirmed that Giovanni Pernice would not be returning for the 2024 series following the allegations into his behaviour in the rehearsal room. 

The EastEnders star was the first contestant to leave the show back in 2021. Partnered with Neil Jones, she later admitted that she was "very down" after leaving the show and was unhappy with how it was marked by the judges. On the Lads Dads and Couple Beers podcast, she explained: "Coming out of Strictly was a big shock because: A, I wasn’t expecting it to happen the way it happened, and it happened very quickly and it was all very surreal for me. When I came out, I was very down. My mental health, I’ve got to tell you, I was down."

MORE: Strictly Come Dancing to introduce 'chaperones' following sackings of Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima

She continued: "If you have a competition, have a level playing field. Give everybody a chance, or if not that, then at least mark accordingly. You can’t give someone like me a three when I’ve tried so hard and attempted something so technically difficult, and then at the same time give someone else who’s made a bit of a mistake a seven just because they looked good doing it. I don’t understand the marking system at all. 

"I don’t think the marking system makes any sense. I thought, 'Okay, this is only week two, you know, you make a little mistake, you’re only human.’ The way it was marked down was shocking, actually shocking."

It was reported at the time that Danny wasn’t getting along with his pro dancer, Amy Dowden, and while the pair didn’t comment on the rumors, it appeared that there was some drama when the Death in Paradise star didn’t join her on It Takes Two following their exit from the competition.

MORE: All of the stars who have been forced out of Strictly Come Dancing

Speaking about his experience at EM-Con Events, he explained: "Four hours a day we had... the sob story crew... 15 crews running around getting sob stories. They were in our rehearsal room three or four hours a day. I hated them. I’m not there to do sob stories; I was there to rehearse and you’re taking up our rehearsal time. How many minutes per show did you see me talking about my sob story? Ten seconds. For ten seconds of footage, those people are in our rehearsal room for four hours."

He added: "There was no fight [with Amy]. There was one difference of opinion in six weeks. One difference of opinion. I'll tell you exactly how that difference of opinion came; it was very simple. For two weeks I didn’t have my partner because she had an injured leg. For two weeks I wasn't even dancing with my partner until the night. No one said that though, did they? The week that I made the mistake that everyone came down on like a ton of bricks, the judges knew that I hadn’t danced with my partner that week."

Will, who was partnered with Karen Hauer, quit the show early after struggling with his mental health, admitting that he "just couldn’t do it anymore." Speaking on Bryony Gordon’s Mad World podcast, he explained: "I was really ill. I was dragging myself to rehearsals. I just couldn’t do it anymore. It was so bad I thought – I’m not joking – I thought about breaking my leg. I decided to take on Strictly because I bloody love dancing. And I bloody hated it [in the end], because I was so ill."

Before leaving the show, he had joked: "Karen is working me really hard. I thought we would do five minutes, have a coffee break, go shopping."

While Rachel said she had a "great time" during the show, she revealed that she had "mild PTSD" after taking part. Chatting on the Spinning Plates podcast, she explained: "It still gets me. And it is ridiculous. It does do something to your psyche that isn’t comfortable. Even now, my body kind of feels like something’s just flowing through me that isn’t comfortable. And I hate the theme tune and I have to put a brave face on with the girls and I’m like, ‘Yay, daddy’s on.’

MORE: Janette Manrara flooded with support as she announces career move away from TV

"I mean, I did get mild PTSD after it. I think the eventual way I decided I learned to deal with it is to ignore it as much as possible. I tried immersing myself, I tried ignoring it, I tried everything. The best way was to let it wash over me because obviously, I was with Pasha, so every year I’d find that I’d go through each week and I’d know exactly what week it was. 

"I’d have the memories of my experience on it, plus the memories of each year, and I’d bring on everything that he was going through each week as well. So it was compounding. I just don’t like it. I mean, I had a great time while I was on it, but when I was off it, I think only someone that’s been on that mad rollercoaster can quite get it."

Laura was partnered with Giovanni Pernice and spoke about her struggles on the show. She said: "I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end. To the outside world, I tried to suck it up and smile, and I did that to the best of my ability, but it affected me deeply. 

"My friends and family knew that I was struggling. And they were there for me. The media, however, saw me as blonde bait in a sequinned dress."

The TV chef was open about his relationship with his partner, Aliona Vilani, as the pair did not get along. He explained: "I love dancing, but if I were paired with somebody who liked me, then I would have done better." Aliona appeared to return the favor, later retweeting a post asking for her to get a better partner for the following year.

Following her death, Lynda’s husband Michael Pattemore claimed that she didn’t enjoy her 2009 turn on the show at all and didn’t get along with her partner, Darren Bennett. In his memoir, My Lynda, he wrote: "She said her partner Darren Bennett was such a miserable git. There was no laughter, no fun. 

MORE: Strictly Come Dancing 2024 rumoured line-up: 12 stars tipped to take part

"All the way through rehearsals she didn’t mind training hard, but it was solid dance. He was just hard work. If Lynda had had a partner like Anton Du Beke or someone, now they would have had some fun together."

He also revealed that she didn’t like her body image on the show, and "always thought she looked fat."

Although Robert said he has "no bad feelings towards the show," he has since called it an "absolutely weird show." The Peep Show actor left the series early after struggling with his health following heart surgery. 

MORE: Karen Hauer reveals stars were secretly hit by 'Strictly curse'

Chatting at the Henley Literary Festival, he said: "It is brutal. It is an absolutely weird show. It is not like it is an unpleasant environment, but they are long days and it is a long time to be nice. If we had longer to rehearse it would happen, but we get four days and one performance. At the end of that performance, you might get fired."

Fern took part in 2012 and was partnered with Artem Chigvintsev. Unfortunately, it sounds like the pair didn’t click at all, as she claimed that he would "kick" and "shove" her during training. 

She added: "He was like, ‘Shut your face. Go home before I kill you.’ I would say, ‘Oh please just kill me, it would be easier.’ Or what was his other one? ‘If you go for a cup of tea now, I will blow off like an atomic bomb.’ I thought, well, I won’t correct him on that one."

Fiona was vocal about not liking her dance partner, Brendan Cole, saying: "Brendan was a real bugger, actually. He wasn’t very nice. He was really naughty. He’s not on the show now. Karma indeed. It works its way every time."