BBC calls police after Strictly cocaine investigation

Telegraph

6 hours ago

The BBC has called in police after its investigation into alleged cocaine use on Strictly Come Dancing by two stars.
Bosses launched an inquiry into the apparent drug use in what is the latest controversy to hit the Saturday night prime-time show.
The Metropolitan Police is now investigating, ahead of the start of the 23rd series next month, the Sun on Sunday reported.
'It's a significant new development in the BBC's recent string of crises that they have now got the police involved in investigating allegations surrounding Strictly,' a source said.
'This is a very dramatic turn of events.
'Despite all the show and its team have been through over recent months, it's hugely controversial that you've now got Scotland Yard detectives probing Strictly.
'This is their biggest prime-time family entertainment show, so it's not a good look for the BBC.'
Corporation bosses appointed law firm Pinsent Masons earlier this month to investigate the claims.
Ongoing investigation into bullying
The allegations were first made by Russells, another law firm, in March on behalf of Wynne Evans, a former contestant on the show, who was dropped by the BBC after apologising for using 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly tour.
Others have also reported drug use on the show, with a celebrity allegedly claiming it was 'well known on the show that two stars took cocaine'.
This is despite an ongoing investigation into bullying and inappropriate behaviour on the show over the past 14 months.
A Met Police spokesman said: 'On Monday 4 August, the Metropolitan Police received a third-party allegation.
'The police investigation is in its early stages. No arrests have been made at this time.'
Alleged drug use is the latest scandal to shake Strictly in recent years.
Last year, Amanda Abbington, an actress who starred in Sherlock, alleged she was subjected to 'inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying' by Giovanni Pernice, a former Strictly dancer, while she was a contestant in 2023.
In a review published last year, the corporation found no findings relating to physical aggression, but complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld.
The fallout from the review sparked the BBC to update its duty of care practices on the show and led Strictly to chaperones being present when celebrities and dancers were practising their routines.
Italian dancer Pernice, who rejected 'any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour', welcomed the conclusion of the BBC review.
Abbington left the dance show early, citing 'personal reasons' before alleging 'inappropriate behaviour'.
Separately, Evans, the Welsh opera singer known for starring in adverts for GoCompare, was dropped by the corporation for using 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly tour.
Evans went on to accuse Strictly of being 'fundamentally flawed in its duty of care', alleging the BBC had engaged in a series of 'lies and cover‑ups in order to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing'.
He previously said he had never approved of the statement that was issued by the BBC in January in which he apologised for making an 'inappropriate and unacceptable' comment.