Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
JJust a few years ago, strictly come dance The BBC’s broadcasts were the brightest jewel in the crown. It was a reliable ratings hit, celebrities were lining up to get spray-tanned and learn salsa, and the whole production exuded a genuine sense of goodness. It was quintessential comfort TV, and unlike its more exploitative competitors in the reality TV arena, didn’t leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
But right now, the show seems less like a gem of public service broadcasting and more like a burden around a corporation’s neck, because Another bleak title Threatens to put an end to that high praise”strictly Magic”
Tomorrow, Sun It was reported that a strictly The star, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was Arrested on suspicion of rape in OctoberThe arrest was related to an alleged incident last year and was confirmed by Hertfordshire Police, “A man arrested in London on Monday 13 October on suspicion of rape has been released on police bail pending investigation,” the force told the newspaper, He said that the investigation is continuing, Meanwhile, the BBC said it “would not be appropriate to comment on the ongoing police investigation”,
News comes after another man strictly The star was arrested on suspicion of rape in August; The Metropolitan Police said he was also suspected of “misuse of an intimate image without consent”. These two grim news add up to an incredible roll call strictly-related scandals that are proving hard to ignore for fans of the show (and I include myself in that number).
strictlyThe reputation of has never been entirely clean; For a family-friendly show, it has been the rumor catalyst for an excessive amount of extramarital affairs (so-called”).strictly “curse”, which has seen many contestants break up with their significant others during or shortly after their tenure on the competition, is very well documented). But it also gave the program a bit of a gossipy air, which helped cement its status as one of the most talked-about shows in the country.
but a shadow looms strictlyOver a period of time all those diamonds have lost their shine and that shade has become only black. In January 2024, former contestant Amanda Abbington revealed that she had been diagnosed with mild PTSD. She later accused her dance partner Giovanni Pernice of bullying her; Pernice, who strongly denied the allegations, was dropped from the show’s line-up. A lengthy investigation upheld complaints of verbal threats and harassment, but concluded that Pernis was not physically aggressive.
As the scandal was unfolding, another professional, Graziano Di Prima, left strictly After admitting to kicking celebrity contestant Zara McDermott during rehearsals (he later apologized, saying that her “intense passion and determination” to win may have influenced him.) [his] Training System”
Against this backdrop, last year’s competition managed to find its footing and move forward with momentum; The show’s welfare policies were also refreshed, with chaperones brought in to accompany celebs during rehearsals. but then strictly The live tour, which saw recent contestants take to the road and perform in arenas filled with fans, was also surrounded by bad publicity. Go Compare Opera singer Wynne Evans was dropped as a radio presenter by the BBC after making “inappropriate and unacceptable” comments at a launch event.
not long afterwards, eastenders star and 2024 contestant Jamie Borthwick suspended After the BBC used abusive language against disabled people strictly set. He apologized ‘sincerely and wholeheartedly’ for his comments. And in August, the broadcaster launched an investigation into alleged drug use by two people strictly stars, dealing another blow to the series’ family-friendly image. Again, two separate arrests on suspicion of rape are bleak additions to a very sad saga. Against this uncomfortable backdrop, long-time presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced in October that they would both step down from the series at the end of 2025.
The pair has managed to maintain their overall professionalism strictly have been avoiding all this behind-the-scenes chaos, but have decided that now “feels like the right time” to leave. Although their goodbye message was a happy one, you have to wonder if the beloved pair were just tired of grinning and bearing it every Saturday night as another show-related bomb went off around them.
There has been much discussion about who might step in to introduce Daly & Winkelman’s shoes. strictlyhost of, but less discussed is a question that is arguably just as relevant: Will there actually be any big names want Want to become the show’s latest leading man, and risk associating yourself with any future scandals?
strictly The gig is either the most exciting vacancy in broadcasting right now, or the biggest poisoned chalice, depending on how cynically you look at it. “If it were simply a matter of the pair stepping down and ushering in a graceful passing of the baton, a joint announcement with new presenters would have been better,” says Nina Savitz, a reputation and crisis consultant. “Continuous speculation of tension behind the scenes, pay rumors and endless debate over who will replace [Daly and Winkleman] And whether they measure up or not, it will only put pressure on anyone willing to step into their position. “Big-name presenters won’t want to inherit instability, even for such a big show.”
Is the best solution for the BBC to cut its losses and put this disappointing show out of its misery altogether? This has always been my opinion strictly I could handle the bad headlines, but I underestimated the cumulative impact of so many scandals. ,strictly It’s been living up to its legacy for some time, but now the problem is the accumulation of negative stories,” Sauvetz says. “When a show designed to be warm, familiar and comfortable becomes defined by uncertainty and disruption, one controversy at a time, it begins to drag down not only the program, but its talent and the broader corporation.”
Viewership numbers are another clear sign that a series is on its last legs, but strictly An interesting case study has been made here. The viewing figures for the launch show have been declining for the past few years, but strictly It is still one of the most watched shows on British TV; This decline may reflect changing trends in TV viewing rather than any major decision on the part of viewers. However, it’s hard to dispute that Winkleman’s other blockbuster show, traitorseems to have been grabbed strictlyMade a place in the hearts of the audience.
‘Strictly’ has been living up to its legacy for some time now, but the problem now is the accumulation of negative stories,
i have savetz
But 21 years is a very long time in TV, and there’s certainly an argument to be made for quitting when you’re ahead (or in case of). strictlyWhile it appears that you are increasingly losing your attention). “It’s hard to predict when a reality TV show has passed its sell-by date because of the unpredictable human element,” says David Frosman-Miller, global media director at W Communications. This is more obvious when a drama or comedy is becoming stale, but in the bubble of reality, “two ho-hum years can be wasted with a season featuring some great personalities”.
And so, he adds, the BBC is certainly “in a difficult position”. He further said, “Cancelling a much-loved show, a staple of Saturday night TV, is a huge ask”, but “the recurring issues have been a huge internal headache for the BBC”, and the constant flood of bad publicity “makes ending this show too soon a necessary reality”.
Perhaps BBC bosses should look to their rivals at ITV for some examples of what happens when you let a once-favourite show go past its prime. The X Factor, StrictlySaturday night’s one-time ratings contestant, The rumblings kept happening for too long, throwing in random format shake-ups that only served as a reminder of how much better it used to be. Earlier this week, in a clear warning sign, strictly made a new announcement “Quick Dance Challenge” happening at the end of the month; This is the first time that the makers have had to mix up the tried-and-true formula, and it felt like an attempt to get some positive headlines back.
While a little low-level gossip can do wonders for a show’s reputation, when the backstage drama completely obscures what’s happening on screen, you know a show is really in serious trouble. ,strictly“Off-screen issues have plagued the show, and will likely be the nail in the coffin,” predicts Frosman-Miller. It certainly sounds like a dead show going on at this point.