Gorka Marquez, a popular Strictly Come Dancing fan, is said to have told his pals that the competition this year will not have him compete in due to the numerous scandals that it has caused.
Professional dancer Gorka Marquez has reportedly expressed his relief at not being part of Strictly Come Dancing this year amid its many scandals. The fan favourite, 35, has been part of the BBC dance competition for almost a decade but will be giving the latest series a miss.
He revealed that he’ll instead be a judge on the Spanish version of the show from September. It means he won’t be competing on the show with a celebrity partner, but plans to take part in a number of group performances near the end of the 2025 series.
However, Gorka is said to have told his pals that the timing of his exit from Strictly could not have been better. Before the latest series has even begun, there has been a drug use scandal and one star arrested on suspicion of rape.
READ MORE: BBC deliver verdict on future of Strictly after star is arrested on suspicion of rapeREAD MORE: BBC hits back at claims of Strictly format change that would ‘switch up’ cast
“Gorka loves Strictly and is so proud to be one of the longest-serving pros, but has said he’ll be relieved not to be there during another fraught series while the show and its cast are accused of toxic behaviour,” a source told the Sun.
He loves everyone on the show and is very excited to have participated in the pre-recorded group dances. However, this is their third episode, and it involves questions relating to “bullying, chaperones, and everything else.”
The dancer reportedly stated to his friends that “the timing has worked out well” and that he is anticipating making his first appearance on Bailando con las Estrellas.
Strictly has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Last year, professional dancer Giovanni Pernice resigned after being accused of bullying by actress Amanda Abbington.
Following their time working together in 2023, he was cleared of the most serious ones, but some of his were accepted.
Graziano Di Prima, a dancer, was fired from the same series for allegedly acting inappropriately toward Zara McDermott during training. Wynne Evans, a Welsh opera singer, was charged with making inappropriate remarks and kicked off his UK tour this year.
Last week, the Mirror revealed how celebrities taking part in the show have been joking their fees to take part amounts to “danger money”. One agent of a star on the show said: “Everyone is a little more mindful about the fact that things can blow up…and one misstep is all it takes.
The phrase “danger money has been tossed about” is similar to what Amanda Abbingdon said she had a rough time last year when Wynne Evans was under enormous pressure.
One source claimed that some agents had set a higher minimum fee for their clients when negotiating fees for this series.
Every little detail is enhanced because “it’s the most well-known show on television,” one agent claimed. Under this pressure, some celebrities thrive while others endure.
“A lot of the time, you don’t know until they are inside that environment.” Due to recent headlines, some agents are starting to be wary of putting their clients forward.
However, a source from the BBC reported that there hasn’t changed regarding the types of fees being requested or paid out for the stars for this year’s show.
Gorka’s representative has been contacted by The Mirror for comment.
READ MORE: Teen girls ‘can’t concentrate’ due to period panic but one item can help them
Source: Mirror
Leave a Reply