Strictly Come Dancing has been hit by more chaos as it has been reported that the Professionals Tour will not go ahead next year as the BBC fights to rebuild the show’s reputation.
Over the last few months, the dancing competition has been shrouded with controversy after Sherlock star Amanda Abbington claimed that her partner Giovanni Pernice “bullied” and “abused” her during their time together.
The claim forced the broadcaster to launch a formal investigation into Pernice, leaving many more former stars to speak out about their experience on the show.
Love Island star Zara McDermott previously admitted her Strictly experience was far from what she had dreamt of after being partnered with Graziano – who was later axed as the star admitted to kicking her during their training.
Other pros such as returning star, Aljaz Skorjanec, also faced claims about his behaviour following an alleged incident with a female dancer while on tour, however, there have been no formal complaints made about Skorjanec.
Due to the ongoing chaos and issues surrounding the professional dancers, a source has since claimed that the Professionals Tour is off, and told The Sun: “Strictly is trying to rebuild as a brand and The Professionals tour was known as a hotbed of drinking and fun.
“The pro dancers work hard and play hard but with everything that’s happened recently, it seems axing it eliminates the chance of any further issues. The people who usually work on The Professionals tour have been told it’s cancelled.”
The tour often launches over spring and summer following the conclusion of the Strictly Live! tour, and see 12 of the professional dancers from the show put on a spectacular night.
Reports have claimed that the BBC were keen to draw a line under the scandal ahead of the glitzy launch of the 20th series which launches Saturday, September 14.
A source added to the same publication: “The BBC are hopeful they will finally be able to share the findings of the probe but considering there have been so many delays, nothing is set in stone.
“It is accepted the dossier won’t be released in full but instead, a simple statement may be put out covering the conclusion. Either way, there are many interested parties and it could pave the way for more celebrities or crew members to speak up.”
Amid the controversy, the BBC announced that it was introducing “additional steps to strengthen welfare and support” on the show, which will now include having a production team member present in training room rehearsals “at all times”.
Taking part in the show this year are DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, Olympic hockey champion Sam Quek, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, Gladiators star Montell Douglas, Olympic swimmer Tom Dean, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, and Miranda star Sarah Hadland.
Alongside them is Singer Shayne Ward, The Only Way is Essex star Pete Wicks, TV doctor Punam Krishan, Singer Toyah Willcox, Singer Wynne Evans, JLS star JB Gill, and Comedian Chris McCausland.
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Since the announcement of the contestants, the show has been accused of being “male-heavy” by its long-term fans, something the BBC were quick to comment on.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We are really excited about this year’s line-up and look forward to the series starting. There are many factors that influence the casting process to ensure we have a good mix of celebrities from a broad range of backgrounds.
“There is no hard and fast rule regarding the gender split on the show and it’s never been about ticking boxes.”
