The BBC will scrap premium-rate telephone voting for Strictly Come Dancing and a number of other programmes, the broadcaster announced, prompting criticism that the move risks disenfranchising older viewers who rely on phone voting.
The corporation said the decades-old premium-phone system had become "outdated" and too expensive to run after telecom provider BT stopped offering phone services to the BBC earlier this year. The BBC said the vast majority of votes for last year's Strictly were cast online and that viewers will now be asked to vote using a BBC account on shows including Strictly and the Sports Personality of the Year awards. The Eurovision Song Contest also moved away from premium telephone voting last year.
Campaigners and charities representing older people responded with concern. Dennis Reed, director of the campaign group Silver Voices, told The Telegraph the change showed the BBC was treating "loyal older viewers with contempt" and said older people who are not online and enjoy participating through phone polls risk being "disenfranchised." Caroline Abrahams, charity director for Age UK, said losing the ability to phone in "may seem trivial, but if you're an older person who has enjoyed participating in this way and you aren't online, it may feel like another hurtful example of the world moving on and leaving you far behind."
The criticism comes amid wider worries about the impact of the digital transition on older and vulnerable people. Services from booking medical appointments to paying for parking have shifted online in recent years, and the rollout of digital landlines in 2023 prompted concerns that some personal alarm systems and other safety devices could be affected. Telecoms firms and regulators have faced scrutiny as well as calls for more support to ensure people are not cut off from essential services.
Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled to return with a live launch show on Sept. 20. This year's celebrity line-up includes former Love Island winner Dani Dyer, Olympian Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, actress Alex Kingston, drag performer La Voix, football pundit Karen Carney, and reality star Thomas Skinner, among others. The BBC said the production will continue as planned despite wider scrutiny of the programme.
The show has faced a series of controversies in recent seasons. The BBC has opened an inquiry into allegations of drug use involving some staff and performers, and the broadcaster said this week that a male suspect arrested on suspicion of rape is not connected to this year's series. During previous series, presenters and participants have faced separate accusations of inappropriate behaviour, and several professional dancers have been removed from the programme or discipline processes after allegations of misconduct.
In defending the decision to end the premium-rate phone service, the BBC has pointed to changing audience behaviour and the cost of maintaining legacy services. The corporation has also highlighted that online voting via BBC accounts provides a single system across several programmes and platforms. Broadcasters and consumer groups have previously urged that transitions like this should be accompanied by clear guidance and support for people who lack internet access or digital skills.
Officials at the BBC said further details on how the new voting arrangements will work and what help will be available to viewers who need it will be published ahead of the launch. Campaigners and charities said they expect the broadcaster to set out practical measures to ensure older and non-digital audiences can continue to participate in live audience voting.
As the debate continues, Strictly's return will test whether the new voting arrangements affect participation and audience sentiment for one of the BBC's flagship entertainment shows.