After more drama for the Strictly, insiders fear viewers will turn away from the BBC – but others dismiss ‘crisis’ talk and insist the show will go on
Strictly Come Dancing is “creaking under the weight of scandal”, insiders have said, as Dani Dyer’s withdrawal due to injury added to the woes of the show once considered the jewel in the BBC’s crown.
The 29-year-old former Love Island winner, who enjoys a huge social media audience, was the favourite to win this year’s series and shift the narrative away from controversies over the bullying behaviour and drug use claims that engulfed the show.
Dyer’s enforced departure days before Saturday’s first live show, after fracturing her ankle in a fall during rehearsals, left producers scrabbling to find a replacement with similar appeal.
Amber Davies, another Love Island winner and actress, agreed to step into the breach. “This has been the craziest 24 hours of my life,” said Davies, who will dance a waltz with Nikita Kuzmin on Saturday night after the briefest of rehearsal time.
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Strictly is understood to have a team of “stand-by” contestants on contract, with “oven-ready” dance routines prepared, in case they are needed to step onto the dancefloor at the last minute.
Licence fee fears
However the absence of Dyer, the show’s “great hope”, raised fears that a diminished Strictly could hit the BBC in the pocket as it struggles to stop viewers cancelling their TV licence. Some 300,000 households stopped paying for a licence in the year ending March 2025.
An insider said: “There’s a direct link between flagship BBC shows like Strictly and licence fee retention. It’s no accident that last week’s launch show was surrounded by new trails by TV Licensing.
“It’s telling viewers to keep paying the licence fee because the BBC is delivering shows you want to watch. If Strictly becomes a turn-off, that’s a huge potential loss which will hit subscriptions.”
Dani Dyer was the great hope for Strictly Come Dancing as it battles a series of scandals (Photo: BBC)
One leading talent agent said Dyer’s withdrawal was the worst possible news for the show. “Dani Dyer was the great hope – mainstream, relatable, tabloid –friendly. Her injury is a disaster because it strips Strictly of rare star power at a moment when the show can least afford it.”
Strictly’s reputation for glitzy, wholesome escapism was tarnished by the bullying claims against 2023 professional dancer Giovanni Pernice.
A BBC inquiry upheld in part complaints of verbal bullying and harassment by former dance partner Amanda Abbington.
Professional Graziano Di Prima also left in 2024 following allegations about his behaviour towards dance partners.
The bad news kept coming, with former contestant Wynne Evans losing his BBC radio show over what he admitted were “inappropriate and unacceptable” comments about a female participant made during the Strictly live tour.
The BBC is still investigating two unnamed Strictly stars for alleged cocaine use during their time on the show. Meanwhile the police have arrested an unnamed Strictly figure on suspicion of rape. The individual is not involved in this year’s series.
Celebs steering clear of Strictly
This year’s line-up stretched the definition of “celebrity”, claimed the talent agent, who is no longer recommending clients accept offers to appear. “Strictly’s brand is creaking under the weight of scandal. Celebs know one wrong move can end a career, so it’s no wonder the A-listers have stayed clear.”
Amber Davies is joining the new series of Strictly Come Dancing (Photo: BBC)
Producers took a risk with the booking of Apprentice contestant Thomas Skinner, a divisive figure on social media whose “patriotic” views were rewarded with an invitation to a barbecue with JD Vance during the US Vice-President’s UK summer holiday.
The Essex businessman apologised after walking out of a Strictly press conference, taking a journalist’s phone with him, after he saw messages relating to his private life.
Others who work on Strictly say the team is used to fire-fighting. Dyer is the second contestant from the original line-up not to make it the first live show following the exit of Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn, who pulled out on medical grounds last month.
A source said: “Everyone I talk to on Strictly finds it rather silly how dramatic and over the top some of the press reporting is. It’s become something of a running joke at the studios.”
The person added: “So many of the things claimed to have thrown the show into ‘chaos’, ‘crisis’ or ‘plunged Strictly into turmoil’ are simply part of producing a big live entertainment show, which everyone on Strictly knows how to do.
“The production team keep calm and carry on with making the programme – the only sense of chaos and crisis is in the overactive minds of the tabloids.”
It would be foolish to write off Strictly just yet. Last year’s final drew an impressive 10 million viewers. The audience built as viewers invested in comedian Chris McCausland’s journey to becoming the show’s first blind winner, dancing with professional Dianne Buswell.
Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland won the 2024 Strictly series. (Photo: BBC/Guy Levy)
But after 21 years as the BBC’s frontline entertainment brand, Strictly may be losing ground to The Traitors within the corporation.
“Celebrity Traitors is the biggest show of the Autumn for the BBC,” one staffer said. “It is scandal free and loved by everyone. It has overtaken Strictly – and it’s still got Claudia who is untouched by any of the Strictly troubles.”
The Traitors spin-off, featuring names including Stephen Fry and Paloma Faith, is set to dominate BBC prime-time.
But this year’s negative headlines may even help direct more viewers to Saturday’s Strictly, where Winkleman and Tess Daly will assuredly sign off with the pledge to “keep dancing!”
The BBC declined to comment on claims that Dyer’s departure was a “disaster” for Strictly.