The BBC has knocked back claims that Strictly Come Dancing bosses were concerned over multiple contestants reportedly using weight loss medication.
The 2025 Strictly season starts imminently with 15 celebrities ready to take to the dance floor in hopes of winning the Glitterball Trophy.
Alex Kingston, Dani Dyer, George Clarke, Ross King, and Ellie Goldstein are some amateur dancers planning to dance up a storm as the hit reality series attempts to move on from past controversies.
New reports, however, have claimed that five celebrities (who have not been named) have been taking weight loss jabs ahead of their appearance on the show.
Per The Sun, the drugs could include Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy, which can suppress appetite and reduce hunger.
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Competitors who make it to the grand final are on the show for up to four months, requiring sustained exercise over an extended period, with rehearsals lasting around eight hours a day and five days a week, ahead of the rigorous live shows.
As such, one TV insider claimed that Strictly bosses had been left concerned.
In a statement to Metro, a BBC spokesperson has pushed back at this, saying: ‘Whilst we wouldn’t comment on personal matters of this nature, we are not aware of anything to support these claims.’
It comes after a source told The Sun that the execs were ‘unaware’ of who had taken the drugs, but ‘what is required of contestants is next level’, likely beyond the exercise recommended by healthcare professionals.
The source continued: ‘The BBC will continue with their normal protocols, which see them closely monitor the health of the contestants throughout the time they are on the show, with any sign they’re unwell or struggling physically acted upon immediately.
‘Beyond that, they are powerless to intervene in any way, and not just because the stars aren’t obliged to tell them, it’s also because the medications are prescribed substances which they are entitled to take.’
Weight loss drugs and their side effects
Medication to help manage weight is available for free on the NHS, including orlistat, liraglutide, semaglutide and tirzepatide.
‘All medicines for supporting weight management should be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity,’ the NHS website explains.
Orlistat works by preventing a third of the fat from the food you eat from being absorbed.
Meanwhile, weight management injections such as Tirzepatide (Mounjaro), semaglutide (Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda) work by ‘reducing your appetite by making you feel full and slowing down the time it takes for your stomach to empty.’
‘You’ll need to eat a balanced, reduced-calorie diet and exercise regularly while taking these medicines,’ the website details.
The series has already faced a knock to the line-up ahead of airing after Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn was forced to quit due to medical reasons.
‘With a heavy heart, I have to step back from this season of Strictly Come Dancing due to unexpected medical reasons.
‘I was truly looking forward to the journey, and I’m deeply sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me on the dance floor. Thank you all for your support, and I will be back on my feet very soon, in every sense. Love to all, Kristian,’ he wrote in a statement at the time.
He was replaced by Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, who said he ‘wants someone who is going to push’ him from a pro partner.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to screens on September 20, 2025.
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