Strictly 2024

Yes, I got a post about it on one of the major platform yesterday, can't remember which one.

I too thought that about Amy.

What I did find interesting with Giovanni's departure was that it appears that he wasn't replaced with a new male professional.

I noticed there were no new dancers in the announcement and there’s usually a couple each year, so maybe there will be some new faces in the group numbers and announced at a later date?

It's still possible for a new male pro to join the team before September. Vito and Lauren were not announced until much closer to airtime when they joined a couple of years ago.

Aljaz is coming back for this year’s Strictly.

To me, Aljaz always looks like he's squinting with his eyes.

How much more scandal can the show take?

To lose one pro dancer may be regarded as a misfortune....

Zara didn’t report anything, production staff did. Even up until very recently she was talking about him on insta, saying she missed him and they are such good friends etc.

I think that, on the contrary, it shows exactly the opposite. Presuming that the footage/incidents/report occurred between August and December last year, it has taken them a very long time to make this public. It shows them to have actively sat on another potential controversy as long as they could, only allowing it to be public as part of this years’ series launch.

Just a completely random thought- the thing that both Graziano and Giovanni have in common is that they are both Italian professional dancers.

Maybe it's a cultural thing? Maybe this is the discipline the employee in Italy?

Obviously if it's upsetting the celebrities then it has to stop, but it may be as simple as that?

without knowing what was going on I saw Graziano's statement and thought 'he's jumping ship before the attention focuses in him'

If I was the BBC, I would rest Strictly for this year at least while it sorts all its issues out in the background.

With reports that the BBC had already spoken to Graziano about his conduct, but took no further action until now, it's hard for the BBC to say that it takes anything seriously. It's fine saying there will now be chaperons to support the celebs, but it screams as being reactive not proactive and too little too late.

There is a difference between an ill judged and ageist casting decision and dealing with multiple reports of abusive behaviour over a number of years.

Strictly will happen this year but it might disappear for a revamp after

I dunno, it's the BBC's biggest entertainment show, I could see new protocols and new producers at the helm but it not airing at all seems like the nuclear option that the BBC are unlikely to take.

It's not a like for like comparison but Love Island had a number of suicides and the way it was dealt with was putting better aftercare in place and it seems so far to be working.