Police arrest 'Strictly Come Dancing' star on rape allegations

A contestant from Strictly Come Dancing has been arrested on suspicion of rape.

According to The Sun, the individual, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, was taken into custody in October in connection with an alleged incident that occurred last year. It has been confirmed that the alleged victim is neither a contestant nor a professional dancer.

Sources indicate that the incident took place following a BBC event. A source commented, “This is an absolute nightmare for the BBC, a heartbreaking situation. Bosses have done their utmost to steady the ship and make the show as scandal-free as possible, and yet now this has happened. The BBC is taking this very seriously and will absolutely offer support to all concerned.”

Hertfordshire Police have confirmed the arrest and noted that inquiries are ongoing. They stated, “A man was released on police bail under investigation after being arrested in London on Monday, October 13, on suspicion of rape. The allegations relate to an incident that happened in Hertfordshire during 2024. Inquiries by officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Public Protection team will continue. Given the nature of the allegations, it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this time.”

A BBC spokesperson added, “It would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing police investigation.”

After this incident, another male star was arrested in August involving  from the show, who was detained being the suspect of rape and non-consensual intimate image abuse.

The show has experienced several controversies in recent years, including actress Amanda Abbington stepping back from filming in 2023, alleging mistreatment by her dance partner Giovanni Pernice, who denied the claims. A subsequent BBC report found that while Pernice was not physically aggressive, he was found to have engaged in verbal bullying, for which he later apologized to Abbington.