Strictly Come Dancing legend claims 'there were shouting matches' on BBC show

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-Credit: (Image: BBC/PA Wire)


Strictly Come Dancing icon Ian Waite has shared his thoughts on the recent controversies plaguing the popular dance show.

It comes as Giovanni Pernice,34, left the series in April amid claims of bullying by his celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington, allegations which he has continued to deny.

In a separate incident, Graziano Di Prima, 30, was dismissed from the show after confessing to kicking his dance partner, Zara McDermott. Amid these bullying claims Ian, fresh from his victory on Dancing with the Stars Australia, commented.

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Speaking on the Stripping Off podcast hosted by Matt Haycox. He quipped as reported by OK!, "Well, there's a link. They're both Italian. And, a little bit of advice - don't book Italians anymore."

He continued, expressing his surprise: "I know both of them, and to be honest, it's a real shock. During my time on Strictly, I never experienced anything like that."

The dancer also discussed the intense environment behind the scenes, conceding that clashes are part of the rehearsal dynamic. "There were times when I fell out with my partner, yes. And there were even times when there were a lot of shouting matches going on, but it was for a good reason. It wasn't anything inappropriate," he explained.

Nevertheless, Ian acknowledged that the absence of explicit safeguarding policies for the professional dancers might be contributing to the current problems.

"One of the problems is that, as pro dancers, we weren't given any safeguarding rules or guidance on how we should behave with our celebrity partners. We had to figure it out ourselves," he admitted.

Ian raised concerns about the intense pressure on celebrities in the dance competition, stating: "I've pushed celebrities in the past, but it was always to bring out their best. But how do we know what is considered too much? What's offensive or abusive if there are no clear guidelines? There has to be respect in any work environment, even TV. Now that these issues are coming to light, it's clear we need a lot more safeguarding and proper rules."

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Regarding the process of investigating claims made against professionals, Ian highlighted the obstacles, noting: "It's like in a corporate business, where they get different celebs, interview them, and gather their accounts. But unless it's all filmed, it's your word against theirs."

He went on to discuss the difficulty of tailoring his teaching approach to varying levels of celebrity dance expertise, which may engender conflict: "If you've got one celebrity who gets it in five minutes, and another one who takes five days to learn, the teaching method has to be very different. That's harder to cope with, but it's all about how you manage them."

The Strictly stalwart also issued recommendations for the show's future direction, emphasising the importance of setting clear boundaries and improving support structures for professional dancers: "There needs to be clear boundaries and a lot more support for the pro dancers. We weren't given the tools to know how to navigate these tricky situations."

Ian has candidly shared the emotional impact of his departure from Strictly Come Dancing after a seven-year stint, admitting that it took a considerable amount of time for him to move past it. "When I was dropped from Strictly, I was pretty devastated. I was exhausted and probably didn't make the best impression when I met with the new producer. Looking back, I should've taken a break. At the time, I was devastated - it took me two years to get over it," he confided.

Following his tenure as a professional dancer on the show, Ian navigated through a challenging switch to becoming a presenter on It Takes Two. Reflecting on this career shift, he expressed how it wasn't an easy change.

"Presenting kept me connected to the Strictly family, but it was a tough transition. I was used to dancing, not talking for a living," Ian reflected.

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