In the latest episode of Good Morning Britain, Richard Arnold was on hand to give viewers the scoop on the current Strictly Come Dancing scandal.
Despite the fact that the controversy surrounding the BBC show is currently making headlines, the ITV presenter appeared hesitant to get into the details.
Kicking off the entertainment segment, he addressed co-hosts Richard Madeley and Charlotte Hawkins, saying: "Obviously, we're talking Strictly Come Dancing. Please don't shoot the messenger!" "It's splashed across all the red-tops today."
The seasoned broadcaster, aged 54, then proceeded to discuss recent claims made by Steve Backshall about his experience with Strictly professional Ola Jordan, reports the Mirror.
Steve was paired with Ola in the 2014 series of the dance competition, and reports suggest he lodged a complaint about her at the time.
The adventurer has described training sessions with Ola as challenging, with sources from the period indicating that her routines were demanding.
After raising concerns about her, Steve and Ola were reportedly accompanied by a chaperone during rehearsals, as he was uncomfortable being alone with her, according to the Daily Mail.
A source from the show commented back then: "Steve is a very bouncy personality, up for any challenge, but Ola's harsh treatment has flattened him and made him lose confidence. She was very rude and impatient when he found it difficult to master the shapes."
Allegations of this nature surfaced following their Halloween-themed Charleston performance.
A source claimed: "Her choreography and tuition was so tough, Steve resorted to asking other people to show him what he had to do. Ola is a cold and very distant personality, who refuses to mix with Steve's family and friends."
The BBC dance competition has faced backlash recently due to multiple accusations of abuse made by former celebrities participants. Graziano Di Prima was cut from the current series following allegations of both verbal and physical misconduct towards past dance partner Zara McDermott.
Meanwhile, Giovanni Pernice was handed suspension after off-screen misdemeanours claims involving actress Amanda Abbington came to light, leading to her departure from last year's line-up.
More attention will be on corporation as it releases its annual report this Tuesday. With widespread scrutiny regarding the scandal enveloping its top-rated programme and the ongoing internal probe by BBC stealing focus away, the corporation's achievements over the last year and its disclosure regarding highest-paid talents may likely fall into the shadows.
