Claudia Winkleman speaks out on 'terrifying' Strictly Come Dancing return

Strictly Come Dancing presenter Claudia Winkleman has opened up about her pre-show jitters, confessing that she's "terrified" ahead of the first dance of the new season.

Claudia is gearing up to return to her presenting duties by the dancefloor, joining forces with Tess Daly once again, yet she's not immune to the adrenaline rush that Saturday's premiere brings.

As a fresh group of celebrities prepares to don their dancing shoes, stars such as ex-footballer Paul Merson and Love Island favourite Tasha Ghouri are set to strut their stuff. The series also breaks new ground with Chris McCausland, making his mark as Strictly's first blind contestant.

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Despite her years of experience, Claudia shared a candid insight into her emotions as the legendary theme tune kicks in, saying: "I'm absolutely terrified and I squeeze Tess on the arm and I love her because she lets me."

In the latest instalment, famed faces will be twirling with dazzling pros such as Gorka Marquez and Diane Buswell through various themed weeks, including movie tributes, spooky Halloween specials, and big Broadway numbers, reports the Mirror.

However, the glamour of glitterball has been somewhat shrouded by ongoing concerns, with a recent spate of bullying allegations casting a shadow. With past participants, including Amanda Abbington and Zoe McDermott, raising complaints, show bosses have had to take a closer look at the claims linked to the conduct of certain pro-dancers.

Opening up about her grievances, Amanda shared: "I found Giovanni's behaviour unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean. I couldn't sit back and let him do that to other people. I had to think long and hard about making a complaint because I knew the backlash I would get. But I would not have been able to live with myself for future people going on that show."

Giovani has strongly refuted the accusations and has moved on to participate in an Italian dance competition after his departure from the show.

Graziano Di Prima has voiced his remorse for his conduct towards his dance partner Zara, following leaked footage of inappropriate behaviour. With the announcement of his removal from Strictly imminent last summer, Graziano turned to Instagram to tell his followers: "While respecting the BBC HR process, I acknowledge it's only right for the sake of the show that I step away."

The BBC issued a statement outlining: "We can confirm that Graziano Di Prima is no longer a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known that the BBC has established and robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate."