Strictly Come Dancing bosses may say they want to avoid controversy, but casting Thomas Skinner in this year’s line-up proves they invite their own drama at times
When I first saw Tom Skinner’s Strictly Come Dancing promo picture on my Twitter (X) feed, I initially assumed it had come via a parody post – it seemed that ludicrous.
Why on earth would an embattled TV show supposedly so desperate to stop the scandal after scandal cycle and move on from the last few years of controversies want to take a risk with such a clearly divisive signing? Especially as the showbiz world is filled with ‘safer’, more established celebrities dying to don some sequins and take to the Strictly dancefloor.
Before Strictly has even taken over Saturday night viewing, Tom has already made the BBC look stupid – thanks to storming out of an interview and snatching a reporter’s phone just hours on from BBC director-general Tim Davie defending the decision to cast him in the upcoming series of Strictly.
To those blissfully unaware of the controversy attached to Tom, he is simply The Apprentice contestant who enjoys grafting and eating pie and mash at 5am. To others, he is a privately educated man who grew up in a £2.5m house flirting with right-wing politics while presenting as a working class man of the people on social media.
Despite the fact many are convinced the dad-of-three is being groomed to become a Reform Party candidate at the next general election, there are no credible sources or hard evidence to confirm Tom has any ambitions to waltz his way into Westminster after his time on Strictly. His critics are simply going off vibes and Tom’s questionable Twitter updates when sharing their predictions.
But even if Tom – who claims he is neither on the left or right – does stick to just sharing 500 word tweets about his love for the Union Jack flag and British culture online, he still remains a very polarising character – far from the ideal Strictly contestant in a time of turmoil for the BBC.
From donning Make America Great Again baseball caps to cosying up with J.D Vance, Tom has made it clear he has no problem aligning himself to right-wing figures that have made no secret of the fact they want to meddle in UK politics.
I’ve interviewed Tom a couple of times over the years, back when he was best known for eating a curry in the early hours of the morning at his beloved Dino’s Cafe and using the word ‘bosh’ in lieu of a full stop. I really liked him – he was funny, honest and not particularly media trained, meaning it was always a fun chat.
Back then, he seemed more interested in a stint on I’m a Celebrity rather than learning how to dance – admitting he came close to camping Down Under in 2023.
“I was the bookies’ favourite by a long way to go in there this year but a deal couldn’t be done this year so…” he admitted to me after Sam Thompson was crowned King of the Jungle.
“I would 100% accept it if they asked me on again. I think I’d be quite good at it. I ain’t scared of nothing apart from heights yeah, but I would like to overcome that fear. I’m well good with people, I’d be a good little chef in there and lose a little bit of weight – plus it’s a free holiday to Australia!”
But it seems ITV are keeping good on their promise to keep politics out of camp following the backlash from Nigel Farage and Matt Hancock’s rehabilitative stints on the show. The BBC, however, seems happy to take over when it comes to adding a sprinkling of controversy to its reality TV output.
It’s a shame that in a line-up that includes Ellie Goldstein, the show’s first contestant with Down syndrome, and Drag Race icon La Voix, the BBC has scored an own goal and forced Tom Skinner to be the main talking point rather than focusing on the positives
Strictly bosses surely knew signing Tom up for the 2025 series would spark backlash and doing so, it seems they don’t actually care that much about shaking off the scandal tag tainting the show.
