Strictly star Ellie Taylor has opened up about her experience of the under-fire BBC show.
The comedian danced with Johannes Radebe on the 2022 series and made it to seventh place before being booted from the ballroom. She revealed the programme is “hard work” but insisted she had an amazing time with Johannes.
Ellie praised the BBC pro for giving her “such a special experience” during their weeks of intense training. Speaking on Heart Breakfast, Jamie Theakston said: “But during that rehearsal… I mean, it’s a tough show,” before referencing the allegations made against the likes of Giovanni Pernice.
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He said: “Often people don’t kind of realise just how much effort needs to go into it, and I think that maybe, obviously, at times that’s veered into the unacceptable when it comes to the training regimes that some of the dancers impose on their partners.”
(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
She replied: “Like I said, I can only talk about my experiences. It’s hard work, because you’ve got to produce a dance live on telly, so you have to put the hours in.
The TV star went on: “But I really enjoyed my time in the rehearsal room, and yeah, you know, you get such a special experience. Well, I got such a special experience with Johannes, and I sort of knew him inside out. It’s sort of like a holiday romance in a way, and it’s all this intense, sort of, yeah… This intense relationship.”
(Image: Heart)
Strictly has been struck by its ongoing complaints scandal, which has seen Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington allege that her ex-dance partner Giovanni was “bullying and aggressive” towards her in rehearsals. Pernice, who has left the show, has denied claims of “threatening and abusive behaviour”.
Last week, the BBC’s director general Tim Davie apologised to celebs who had an experience on the show that “hasn’t been wholly positive”. He told journalists he was “disappointed” to hear that celebrity contestants had complained about how they were treated by their dance partners.
(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
The BBC has launched an internal probe into the claims of misconduct. A BBC source previously told the Mirror: “The BBC hope that this report will bring the closure the show desperately needs although truth to be told that is quite an optimistic outlook and the reality could be very different.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
