Strictly Come Dancing’s Shirley Ballas returned to BBC screens on Saturday night as fans saw a fresh batch of stars take to the dancefloor.
Head judge on Strictly Come Dancing, Shirley Ballas, has addressed the BBC programme’s controversies after being questioned about Thomas Skinner.
The Apprentice’s Thomas has been embroiled in multiple controversies in the run-up to the 2025 series.
On Saturday night, Thomas was matched with Amy Dowden during the launch show as the TV star said he’s competing on the show ‘for the dads’.
The reality personality walked out of Strictly’s media interviews earlier this month and grabbed a reporter’s mobile phone before it emerged that he had been unfaithful to his wife Sinead just weeks following their 2022 wedding.
Now, head judge Shirley has addressed the drama- disclosing that it “doesn’t touch the sides” for her, reports the Mirror.
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During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, Susanna Reid asked: “When you are there at the show recording, are you under a sense of responsibility because of the scandal that’s hit Strictly? Do you even consider it?
“Obviously, you’ve got the issue around Thomas Skinner, we’ve got previous scandals – or is it a completely different planet of sequins and sparkles and it just doesn’t touch the sides?”
Shirley promptly replied: “It doesn’t touch the sides. It’s baubles, bangles and beads for me. I stay in my lane.
“I am there to do a critique from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Coordination, synchronisation, beautiful personality. I don’t get involved in anything.”
Richard Madeley then interjected, commenting: “The thing is you can never see these things coming. I was watching on Saturday and I couldn’t see any potential for anything that we’ve seen over the last two or three years on Strictly.
“But you just never know. You never know what people are going to do, say, what paparazzi shots are going to emerge mid-week.”
Shifting the conversation, Shirley remarked: “We do have the best professionals in the world and they are all doing their very, very best when they’re working throughout the week. I’m sure that the final four or three is going to be off the chart.”
Earlier this week, Thomas Skinner launched into a blistering rant following his appearance on the Strictly launch show, declaring defiantly that he “won’t be cancelled”
The celebrity issued a stark warning to critics not to ‘start a war they won’t win’ in his lengthy social media outburst on X.
“Life ain’t easy. I’ve been kicked down an called every name under the sun recently and probably some of it I deserve, as yes I ain’t always right. But since I got invited to have a BBQ with JD Vance….its gone crazy. Certain people are doing everythin they can to ruin me. Mainly Faceless accounts givin it large and abusing me, hypocrites making everything political,” Thomas raged.
He continued: “Now I see people are fumin’ that I’m on Strictly…. and the funny thing is that the majority of them got “be kind” wrote in their bios. You couldn’t make it up. Let me tell you this. I won’t be cancelled. I ain’t gonna kill myself like some of you want. I’m still here. I’m still standin.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday on BBC One from 6:55pm.
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