Former Strictly contestants react to 'Strictly saga'
Strictly Come Dancing's Edwina Currie has lashed out at influencers, suggesting they don't understand the hard graft involved in the show, following Zara McDermott's emotional post.
The ex-MP, aged 77, joined the panel on Good Morning Britain with fellow Strictly alumni Richard Cole and presenters Richard Madeley and Charlotte Hawkins to discuss their stints on the BBC dance extravaganza.
Currie, who danced with Vincent Simone in the 2011 series of Strictly and was the first to be voted off, remarked that the landscape has shifted since her days, highlighting the rise of 'lounging' influencers as contenders for the dance floor spotlight.
In light of recent allegations of "gross misconduct" against professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, Charlotte quizzed Edwina, asking: "Were you surprised by what you've heard?"
To which Edwina replied, reflecting on the evolution of the show: "I think it was rather sad and I think what has happened is that the program has changed over the years. I was on it in 2011 and the program was seen as entertainment and my partner Vincent Simone was absolutely lovely and we've stayed such good friends," reports the Mirror.
She elaborated: "In those days people were just there for entertainment and celebrities where people like John Sergeant, who never made any points about trying to dance and I think the audience absolutely loved it and I think they still love it when there are people who aren't dancers who do well."
Edwina further highlighted that BBC chiefs seem to be favouring social media stars lately, remarking: "I think one of the issues today is that they have a lot of influencers. People who become famous for having beautiful eyebrows and lounging around on sofas in beautiful places."
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"I don't think they realise how much hard work goes into doing something like Strictly. They've signed up for it, they are supposed to do it and I think that they find it very hard."
The discussion comes as Zara McDermott, 27, who has notably unfollowed Graziano on Instagram, broke her silence on her harrowing experiences during training, releasing an extensive statement on her social platforms.
She expressed that footage of "particular incidents" are "incredibly distressing" to see and admitted she was hesitant to come forward due to concerns over "public backlash" and "victim shaming".
