Strictly Come Dancing star arrested on suspicion of rape

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

‘On Friday, August 22, officers arrested a man on suspicion of rape and non-consensual intimate image abuse,’ confirmed a Metropolitan Police spokesperson.

They added to The Sun on Sunday: ‘This is a joint investigation with Hertfordshire Constabulary, and while the investigation is in its early stages, we urge anyone with any information to come forward to us.

‘The arrest follows a third-party ­allegation of sexual and drug-related offences. Enquiries are ongoing.’

It is not known which star has been detained or whether they are involved with the current production.

However, the Met says that the alleged rape victim is being offered support by specialist officers.

When contacted for comment, the BBC told Metro: ‘It would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing police investigation.’

The fresh scandal comes just weeks before Strictly’s 2025 series is due to commence, as its cast are currently in rehearsals and a live show is scheduled for September 20.

‘This is clearly a huge concern to everyone connected to Strictly Come Dancing and the BBC, which is why it’s being treated very seriously,’ said a source.

‘The BBC and its external lawyers are in contact with the police over the rape allegation, as well as the drugs claims. Both matters are being investigated by separate detectives.

‘It’s far from an ideal situation, particularly as it’s just a few weeks until the new series starts, but this is a serious criminal investigation.’

Indeed, Strictly has been engulfed by accusations of impropriety as of late, with a probe underway after two stars allegedly abused cocaine.

Last week, the Met confirmed they were investigating the allegations, with one of the stars involved also said to be suspected of drinking while on the show, as crew members smelled alcohol on their breath.

While the pair remain unnamed, The Sun reports it was widely known that they took the drug and that one was a heavy drinker.

As per a TV insider, one of the individuals is ‘renowned for loving to party’, which ‘is a major problem when it impacts on their ability to do the job they need to do on Strictly in a safe and professional manner’.

‘It’s not just about something being illegal or legal; it’s about the BBC’s workplace policies and how the behaviour of certain individuals can impact on their work colleagues,’ they added.

‘On a very physical show like Strictly, with lots of sets and moving parts, the idea of someone being intoxicated in any way is wholly unacceptable.’ 

It’s said that junior members of the production team were tasked with keeping tabs on the two last series, remaining vigilant for signs of alcohol consumption during work hours.

Adding to a turbulent 12 months, Strictly also faced numerous bullying allegations last year, leading to the axing of professionals Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima.

Pernice, who was paired with Amanda Abbington in 2023, was found to have verbally abused and harassed the Sherlock actress.

Outspoken in the aftermath of filing her complaints, Abbington said Pernice exhibited ‘toxic’ and ‘degrading’ behaviour in the training room, stating that she has been left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

However, a probe cleared him of the ‘overwhelming majority’ of allegations, including serious claims of ‘physical aggression’.

Meanwhile, that same series, fellow Italian choreographer Di Prima admitted to kicking Zara McDermott during training.

Additionally, the programme’s Live Tour became headline news at the start of the year when opera singer Wynne Evans was removed for inappropriate behaviour.

He apologised after an ‘unacceptable’ quip came to light, which seemingly insinuated a ‘spit roast’ with married tour host Janette Manrara, while the Beeb warned him that such actions would ‘not be tolerated’.

Evans made the press once more when a video surfaced of him and co-star Jamie Borthwick larking around with a sex toy backstage.

Borthwick, known for playing Jay Brown in EastEnders, was recently suspended from the soap for three months after he was discovered to have used a disabled slur during Strictly’s Blackpool weekend.

The actor apologised ‘sincerely and wholeheartedly’ shortly after the incident emerged, claiming he ‘did not fully understand the derogatory term [he] used and its meaning’ when describing the people of the seaside town.

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