Strictly: Tess and Claudia open the show
Strictly Come Dancing shouldn't be axed despite the current furore surrounding the Saturday night BBC show. That is the verdict of Express.co.uk readers who voted on the subject.
It was a close call with 50% of readers declaring the show should stay on air with a mere 4% margin above those thinking it has had its day. 46% of readers felt it should be axed while 4% said they were unsure.
The show has had a spectacular fall from grace since the end of the last season. It marks its 20th season this year but so far the celebrations have been marred by scandal as both Giovanni Pernice and Graziano di Prima have had their training methods called into question. Neither will appear in the upcoming season.
In recent months the show has been besieged by dramas and scandals beginning when Giovanni's 2023 celebrity partner Amanda Abbington quit the show. The Sherlock actress pulled out in week four of the live shows due to "medical reasons" and it was later confirmed she would not be returning.
The BBC launched an investigation into Giovanni's alleged behaviour during rehearsals while Amanda was diagnosed with mild PTSD after her experience training with him. Giovanni has vehemently denied all allegations against him.
Most recently Graziano di Prima was dropped from this year's pro line up after concerns were raised about his treatment of Zara McDermott in rehearsals for last year's show.
On July 13 the Italian dancer confirmed the rumours of his axing were true in a candid statement on Instagram. He said he "regrets the events that led to his departure" but added, "when the time is right I'll share my story".
The BBC has announced it is introducing welfare measures on Strictly Come Dancing amid the slew of "gross misconduct" allegations.
They confirmed a member of Strictly Come Dancing production staff will be present in all future rehearsals and in a series of extra measures, the broadcaster will also introduce two dedicated welfare producers and provide further training for the production team and crew.
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Despite the diffcult time she went through Amanda Abbington has thrown her support behind the show and also feels it shouldn't be axed.
Last weekend the whistleblower admitted she felt "surprised and shocked" as more celebrity contestants have followed suit in making complaints about their professional dance partners. However, she said hopes it won't cause the BBC show to come to an end.
And although she wants Strictly to survive past its 20th anniversary this year, it is “unlikely that she will watch the programme”. A source close to the actress said: “Amanda has no desire for the show to end, but in light of everything that has surfaced over the past week or so, she thinks they need to meticulously implement more stringent and thoughtful safety measures.
“The BBC just needs to make sure everyone has a nice and happy time rather than the experiences many of them have gone through, which are not acceptable," they said.
