Thomas Skinner will remain a contestant on this year's Strictly Come Dancing after he walked out of a press launch and grabbed a reporter's phone, sources told media outlets.
The market trader and former Apprentice contestant, 34, left the Strictly press day at Elstree Studios after conducting two on-camera interviews and appeared irritated when a journalist asked why he had signed up for the show. According to reports, he snatched the reporter's phone before walking off; Strictly's press team initially could not locate him at the venue and production held crisis talks about his future on the programme.
Insiders quoted by the Daily Mail and Sun Online said the show's leadership considered whether Skinner could cope with the pressure surrounding the series but ultimately decided he should stay. A source close to Skinner told the Daily Mail he was "definitely regretful" over his conduct and that he had been enjoying rehearsals before the press day. Another source said Skinner "clearly felt stressed and wasn't coping with the press conference" and described the incident as "very embarrassing for him."
Adam Brooks, a friend of Skinner's and a media commentator, posted on X that he had spoken with Skinner and that the contestant remained on the show. The sources said the BBC and Strictly producers are backing Skinner and that he has expressed a desire to focus on rehearsals and the first live show.
Skinner, who rose to public attention on The Apprentice in 2011, has previously spoken publicly about past convictions. Reports note he was charged in earlier years with handling stolen goods relating to nearly 5,000 Body Shop tubes and for possession of diazepam tablets; he has said he has paid the price for those convictions and used his experiences to engage in outreach work. In recent months he attracted social-media criticism after commenting that he had witnessed a robbery at a Greggs; he responded by acknowledging past arrests and by describing his efforts to turn his life around.
Producers of the long-running BBC dance show have faced heightened sensitivity around contestant behaviour and media handling after a series of controversies affecting the broadcaster and the programme in recent seasons. According to the reports, that context prompted discussions about how to handle Skinner's conduct at the launch and whether it warranted removal. After consideration, those discussions concluded that he would remain in the line-up.
Representatives for the BBC and Strictly did not immediately provide a public statement to the outlets that reported the episode. Skinner has been preparing for the series in recent weeks and has publicly framed his participation as both a personal challenge and a way to represent ordinary people, telling interviewers he hoped to inspire others, including "pint-drinking, kebab-eating dads" with beer bellies.
The programme is due to begin its live shows later this year, when contestants' performances and media appearances will be closely watched. Skinner's continued participation means the series will proceed with the announced line-up while the broadcaster and production team monitor contestants' conduct ahead of live broadcasts.