Bill Bailey Breaks Silence on Strictly ‘Toxic Culture’ Claims
Strictly Come Dancing winner Bill Bailey has spoken out about ongoing claims of a “toxic” environment behind the scenes of the beloved BBC show and his take is refreshingly honest.
Bailey, who lifted the glitterball trophy in 2020 alongside professional dancer Oti Mabuse, said he personally never witnessed any of the reported bad behaviour.
Speaking to The Times, he said: “I don’t know anything about it to be honest. We were under COVID protocols. There was no carousing.”
The comic’s season aired under strict pandemic restrictions, which, according to him, might have shielded him from any potential backstage dramas. It was all about the dancing, the training, and the discipline.
“It was hard,” he admitted. “It’s physically quite a tough thing to do and I don’t think sometimes people realise what it takes to train.
Certainly, there’s a lot of pressure on the pros to come up with the goods. It’s a big gig, Strictly. There’s a lot of pressure to choreograph, to look good.”
Bailey even credited the intense rehearsals with helping him shed over a stone during the competition. But while he reflects fondly on his experience, others haven’t been so lucky.
The show has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years. High-profile complaints of bullying and verbal abuse have cast a shadow over the glitz and glamour.
One of the most publicised incidents involved professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, who was found by an independent investigation to have verbally harassed his celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington, during their 2023 stint. The more severe allegations of physical aggression were not upheld.
In another case, pro dancer Graziano Di Prima apologised after accidentally kicking celebrity contestant Zara McDermott during rehearsals.
But the real concerns, some say, aren’t just about celebrities. It’s the crew who may be taking the hardest hits.
One anonymous crew member told BBC News: “I think it’s awful for the celebrities who suffered, but I think for the crew it’s a much bigger problem.”
She detailed frequent “verbal abuse”, including “shouting, screaming and being insulted, to an extraordinary level.” Others echoed similar claims, suggesting the mood of professional dancers could completely shape the atmosphere on set.
Despite these revelations, the BBC stands firm in its defence of the show’s working culture.
In a statement, a spokesperson for BBC Studios said the show’s environment is not representative of most workers’ experiences across its 21-year history: “The welfare and safety of our crew on each series has always been, and remains, our utmost priority.”
Still, the controversy isn’t going away. The scale and popularity of Strictly Come Dancing mean it’s unlikely to avoid scrutiny, and as more voices speak up, the spotlight continues to shift backstage.
For Bill Bailey, though, his journey on the show remains unmarred. “A lot of dancers then become very well known in their own right. They get book deals and they appear on shows and it’s a big thing. It’s a big show.”
And for him, that big show left behind nothing but good memories.
