Strictly Come Dancing's biggest scandals so far – from injuries to bullying claims

Strictly Come Dancing has firmly established itself as the jewel in the BBC crown ever since its first season back in 2004, and remains a top contender for the most-watched show on iPlayer . But in recent years, the hit competition has faced growing scrutiny following a series of complaints and behind-the-scenes controversies. Concerns first surfaced in October 2023, when Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington withdrew from the competition and later launched a formal complaint about her dance partner, Giovanni Pernice. It was later revealed that in the same year, dancer Graziano di Prima had kicked his partner Zara McDermott once during rehearsals – something he apologised for at the time – leading to his removal from the line-up in 2024. With the show no stranger to drama, especi