Thomas Skinner has sensationally stormed out of a Strictly Come Dancing interview, furiously telling reporters ‘I’m not doing this.’ The Apprentice star was being interviewed by journalists at the BBC’s Elstree Studios when he got up and left the room.
In a first for a Strictly contestant, the former reality star, best known for his social media output these days, grabbed a reporter’s phone as they asked him to stop. It comes just hours after Skinner told his followers on X he “can’t be bought” and “won’t say things just to keep people happy”.
Skinner, 34, has been a controversial signing for this year’s series of the BBC series. The dad-of-three has drawn strong criticism for Twitter (X) posts saying it is “not far-right” to be “flying your flag and loving your country”, and complaining “it ain’t safe out there any more” in London, saying the city is “hostile” and “tense”.
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But while Skinner is happy to chat online, it seems he is less keen to converse in real life. The divisive figure took issue with a reporter recording an interview, a common practise, during the big Strictly Come Dancing press day.
He had arrived at the table alongside fellow contestant, former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank, who was left having to do interviews on his own.
“He walked to the table with his head down, he sat down, grabbed one of the reporters phones, who told him to stop,” an insider at the event has told the Mirror. “It was a shock. His reaction came out of nowhere.”
Another source told us: “It was totally out of the blue. He was absolutely fine during the first interview. In good spirits and delighted and surprised to be there. Like a competition winner.”
His actions are said to have left organisers furious and BBC bosses in talks over whether he should remain on the show.
A female journalist had simply asked Skinner what had motivated him to sign up for Strictly, which left the reality TV star realising he was being recorded on a phone during the press event. “What’s that?” Skinner demanded, before picking up the woman’s phone and taking it from the table.
The journalist responded asking: “What are you doing, can you answer the question, we have only got three minutes. I’m just recording him.”
Skinner posted a cryptic message to his Twitter (X) followers this morning ahead of the press day commencing. In the length tweet, he wrote: “I cannot be bought. I won’t say things just to keep people happy like others do. I am not a weathercock who changes opinions to gain clout like others you see online or social media. I’ll say what I believe in, even when it’s not easy. Because that’s what we need more of in today’s world.”
Skinner’s antics come just hours on from BBC director-general Tim Davie defended the decision to cast former the Apprentice contestant in the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.
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Speaking to MPs from the Culture, Media and Sport committee, Davie said: “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.”
The 58-year-old added: “Clearly, we wouldn’t take anyone whose views are just beyond the pale, or we would see as completely unacceptable or not suitable, racist views, all those things, we wouldn’t accept them. But that’s not the case here, from what I know, I’m not an expert on the individual, per se.”
It comes after TV presenter Narinder Kaur criticised the decision to cast Skinner, who is known for his “bosh” catchphrase, saying she was told she was “too controversial” for the show herself.
Speaking about Kaur, Davie said he had “never heard that” when asked about claims she was rejected for the show.
He continued: “I’m not involved directly, that’s not disowning it, it’s just day to day. It’s for BBC Studios to propose to the commissioner of entertainment who they think they can get, one is who will take part, because it’s quite a commitment, three months in full training.
“And the second is, who are people that they think would make a good balance in terms of the cost, and my goodness, they’ve done a good job in terms of creating a phenomenal show.”
Skinner met US vice president JD Vance for a barbecue and drinks earlier this year, with the star – who befriended US President Donald Trump ’s number two on social media platform X – describing the event as “once in a lifetime”.
Asked what the criteria are for someone who is “too controversial” for the show, Davie added: “There may be views you don’t agree with, but that’s not to me, a criteria. If someone had broadcast things that were totally unacceptable, had racist views, we don’t want them anywhere near our shows, that’s obvious.
“That’s what our team have to judge, I don’t know how many series we’re in, but we’ve had a pretty good run of the contestants, there’s been things to deal with, but actually, in terms of the casting and the overall show around the world, I think they do a good job.”
Skinner will join fellow stars such as Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen, former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and CBBC actress Ellie Goldstein, who is to become the first contestant with Down’s syndrome to take part in Strictly’s full series, when the show returns later this year.
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