Tom Skinner, a new contestant on the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing, left the programme's first press event at Elstree Studios on Tuesday after taking part in only two interviews, prompting complaints from some viewers and internal concern at the BBC.
The Daily Mail reported that organisers were left searching for Skinner after he exited the media launch and that senior staff were "furious". The paper said the former Apprentice contestant objected to questions about his political views and his association with U.S. politician J.D. Vance. The report added that BBC staff held crisis talks about whether Skinner should remain on the show and that some viewers threatened to boycott the programme.
BBC director-general Tim Davie defended the casting decision this week while giving evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport committee, saying the choice was made by the show's production team. "That was not my decision, that was the production team looking for those people… who want to do Strictly, and those people they thought would be interesting to the audience," he told MPs. Davie added that the corporation would not commission someone whose views were "just beyond the pale" or otherwise "completely unacceptable," and said he was not an expert on the individual in question.
Skinner, 34, has responded publicly to criticism over his meeting with Vance, describing recent online reactions as unfair and saying he is not right wing. In an interview with The Daily Mail last month he said: "I’m not right wing. People are like sheep and just started saying it because I got invited to go to bbq with J.D. Vance and I posted a picture with him. Who is gonna turn down an opportunity to meet the 2nd most powerful man in the world?" He added: "Some people will hate you without ever really knowing you — and that’s okay. I wish them well. We’re all different, and not everyone will see life the same way." In other social-media posts he has said trolling over the meeting had affected him and his family.
Skinner first came to public attention as a contestant on the 2019 series of The Apprentice and later appeared on Celebrity MasterChef. He has cultivated a following through social-media videos and public appearances, often styling himself as a "modern day Del Boy" and referencing his origins in Boscombe. His casting on Strictly was described as a surprise by some viewers.
According to the Daily Mail, production staff wanted the launch to run smoothly amid what the paper called "recent controversy," and were taken aback by Skinner's abrupt departure. The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment beyond Davie's remarks to MPs.
Strictly Come Dancing has in recent years drawn scrutiny over its contestant choices and the corporation's approach to balancing entertainment with public sensitivities. The production team makes casting decisions for the show, which has maintained that it seeks a diverse line-up that will interest viewers while excluding individuals whose views would be considered unacceptable by the broadcaster.
Producers have not announced any formal changes to the cast following Tuesday's events. The series is scheduled to air in the coming weeks, and the BBC and the show's production company are understood to be managing audience complaints and internal discussion about the fallout from the launch-day incident.
Skinner's public profile, the questions about his political connections, and the broadcaster's response are likely to be watched closely as the series progresses. The BBC's guidance to programmes remains that editorial and reputational risks are to be assessed during casting, and any decision to remove a contestant would be taken by senior production and editorial teams in line with corporation policy.