The BBC have come out with a statement on behalf of Strictly Come Dancing, regarding a number of complaints that were made about the show’s first ever same-sex coupling.
It was announced earlier this month that Olympic boxer, Nicola Adams would become the first contestant to be part of a same-sex pairing, resulting in the BBC receiving many complaints.
However, the BBC were quick to shoot them down, stating proudly, “Strictly Come Dancing is an inclusive show and is proud to have featured same sex dancing amongst the professional dancers in group numbers in previous series.”
“We have stated, in the past, that we are open to the prospect of including same sex pairings between our celebrities and professional dancers, should the opportunity arise.”
“Nicola Adams requested an all-female pairing, which we are happy to facilitate. The show is first and foremost about dance, the sex of each partner within a coupling should have no bearing on their routine,” the BBC concluded.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time fans of the show have complained about the idea of same-sex pairing. Last year two of the professional dancers, Johannes Radebe and Graziano di Prima performed a routine together.
While many viewers found it entertaining and empowering, applauding the two male dancers, sadly the BBC received a whopping 189 complaints from viewers who found it offensive and were unimpressed.
In an interview with The Guardian, Adams expressed that this upcoming season of Strictly is “just breaking those boundaries and showing people that it's okay.”
This year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing will hit our screens this coming October, for a shorter run than usual due to Covid-19, with a number of changes and precautions put in place.
