Strictly Come Dancing: every claim made against show so far

After her dancing partner on the show, Graziano Di Prima, was fired for gross misconduct, Zara spoke out about her experience on the show, admitting that the rehearsal footage was "incredibly distressing to watch". 

MORE: Graziano di Prima details personal struggles as he breaks silence on 'shocking' Zara McDermott claims

She admitted that she was worried about victim shaming by coming forward with her story, something that has been shared with others who have come forward. 

After admitted that she cried every day during her time on the show, and opened up about how she was "gaslit" about her experience when she tried to voice her concerns in 2016. Speaking to The Irish Times, she said: "I think we’re louder now, and we’re pulling people up on things now. I do think it’s changing slightly. I hope. And even the stuff I’m not going to talk to you about now, because it’s under review, that’s all coming out now, the stuff I tried to speak about eight years ago.

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

"Or [I was] gaslit to make it seem normalised… It’s a shame that it has to come out in such a victim-shaming way, which it always does. And being the first person to speak up about anything is always hard." 

Although Krishnan had a positive experience on the show, he revealed that he was concerned for Amanda at the time. After speaking about setting up a WhatsApp group for the contestants to chat to one another, he told BBC Radio 4: "We would share our trials and tribulations and Amanda did as well. So, yes there were messages that she posted that made it very clear that she was struggling and having a very hard time. 

"We were all having a hard time, you know, because it's tough, but it was different in terms of what she was saying… I did speak to people at the time about the fact that I was worried about Amanda and that they should speak to her. And they reassured me that they were in close contact with her." 

Two crew members have come forward to describe their experience. Known only as Oscar, one person spoke about a celebrity screaming at him, with the situation leading to him quitting. He told BBC News: "Oscar says his worst experience involved one of the celebrity contestants on the show.

"He was shouting and he was so close up in my face, I had to close my eyes as his spit flecks were hitting me. The fact it was in front of everyone made me feel awful and helpless. People were stopping in the corridor to catch a glimpse of what was happening… I remember thinking that this was it, and I couldn't take it anymore. It was the final straw for me."

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Jane also worked on the show, and told the publication: "Crew would come in and tell me about their experiences as we cut their [video tapes]." She added that junior staff would tell her they experienced "verbal abuse" which included "shouting, screaming and being insulted, to an extraordinary level". She added: "Whatever mood the dancers were in, would dictate how your day would go." 

After struggling with agoraphobia, Will admitted that he wanted to pull out of Strictly before he even began, but was pressured into taking part. Speaking on Rylan Clark's BBC podcast, How To Be In The Spotlight, he said: "I tried to pull out of it, but I was sort of pressured to do it.

"It was sort of like 'Well, if you pull out, the BBC will never work with you again'. That was one of the things that was said to me, so I did it, but I knew I wasn't well enough."

In the light of BBs investigation into behaviour in the training room, Will spoke out about feeling pressured to do a jump from a high table during a routine, despite his coach telling the Strictly team that he would be unable to do jumps due to his condition arthrogryposis, which affects his limbs. 

He explained: "I was really determined, so I went for it and smiled at the camera. When I landed I just had the most horrific pain. I still have flashbacks now. I was lying on the floor thinking my whole career was over. I heard my leg crack, I couldn't breathe." 

Amanda quit the show mid-way through the series in 2023, with reports claiming that she and Giovanni Pernice weren't getting along during training, and that Amandas lawyers had requested footage from the rehearsal room. The Sherlock actress has since spoken about the experience, calling Giovanni "nasty". In a Channel 4 interview, she said: ""It's out there. There is evidence out there of what happened in that room and I'm not the one who's blocking it,. 

MORE: Graziano Di Prima's Strictly partner Kym Marsh addresses allegations

"I've said anyone can watch it, but he [Giovanni] doesn't want anyone to see it, which is quite telling if he's got nothing to hide."

She has also spoken about victim blaming, admitting that she has received death threats after coming forward with her experience on the show.