Strictly’s top boss opens up about ‘tensions’ among dancers saying ‘some weren’t that grateful’
STRICTLY Come Dancing's top boss has opened up about the "tensions" between the pro dancers when she joined the show.
Executive producer Sarah James said some stars "weren't that grateful for the show" claiming several were even "suspicious".
The TV boss - who previously worked on The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, took on the top job on Strictly in 2019 after five years on the show.
She told : "When I first joined Strictly, to be completely honest, there was some sort of tension among the dancers…
"There were some people that weren’t that grateful for the show, that were suspicious of the show, but since then, I think it has evolved and now the dancers are like a family themselves.
"They all get on really well and are really, really close and work really brilliantly together."
More on Strictly
She added: "I wonder also whether Covid changed how they thought about things as well.
"I’ll never forget when I did a big Zoom with them all during Covid to tell them that we were going to go ahead with the show, the relief they had that they could carry on dancing."
Strictly always keeps a large rotating cast of pro dancers on its books, often tinkering with the line-up each series.
Some even switch between the various version of Strictly that have been sold around the world - often under the Dancing With the Stars name.
Most read in TV
For example Vito Coppola had previously won win Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly.
He is currently appearing on the British show with Fleur East - and will perform Couple's Choice to a Destiny’s Child Megamix tonight.
Strictly Come Dancing 2022 cast
- Everything about EastEnders legend James Bye
- Who is TV presenter Helen Skelton?
- Find out who Arsenal legend Tony Adams is
- Who is Fleur East and when was she on X Factor?
- Who is Will Mellor?
- The lowdown on Corrie star Kym Marsh
- Who is singer Molly Rainford?
- Everything about DJ Tyler West
- Get to know champion swimmer Ellie Simmonds
- Who is Countryfile's Hamza Yassin?
- Here's everything about comedian and actress Ellie Taylor