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Daily Mirror
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Strictly bosses 'in talks' with England rugby legend amid rumours over pro pairing
Strictly Come Dancing is set to return later this year with pros like Nadiya Bychkova having already begun rehearsals, ahead of the line-up of contestants being announced A retired rugby union player is reportedly in talks to appear on Strictly Come Dancing. There's already speculation over who they could be partnered with for the BBC dance contest if they end up taking part in the upcoming series. The show is set to return later this year and rehearsals underway for the professional dancers. The line-up of contestants for the new series of Strictly has yet to be announced, but there's been speculation over potential contestants in recent weeks. Chris Robshaw, 39, who captained England's national team, is now among those rumoured for the dancefloor when the show returns. Since his retirement from rugby in 2022, he's already been on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. It's been teased that Chris would likely be paired up with pro Nadiya Bychkova, 35, if he does Strictly this year. She was announced as one of the returning dancers in April, alongside two new additions to the pro line-up. Chris, who is married to classical singer Camilla Kerslake, is thought to be almost 6 foot 2 inches tall so there's speculation that Nadiya would be only pro close to matching his stature, unless he has a same-sex partner for the competition. A source teased to the Sun that Chris, who is reportedly in "advanced talks" for Strictly, and returning pro Nadiya could deliver "sizzling performances" if they are partnered on the show. The source said: "Chris is likely to be the hunkiest celebrity signing for the 2025 show and if he does get paired with Nadiya will deliver some sizzling performances. But as a former rugby star he'll also have some big dance shoes to fill as plenty of other players have gone onto Strictly and done remarkably well." A number of former rugby players have competed on Strictly since the TV show launched in 2004, with Martin Offiah placing fourth in the first series. Matt Dawson was runner-up in 2006 and Kenny Logan then placed fifth in 2007. Austin Healey also achieved a top five position when he competed in 2008, having placed fourth. Gavin Henson, who appeared on the show in 2010, and Ben Cohen, who competed in 2013, ended up in fifth and eighth place respectively. More recently, contestants with a background in rugby haven't done as well on Strictly though. Thom Evans placed twelfth when he competed in the ballroom back in 2014 and Ugo Monye placed eleventh in the contest in 2021. The line-up of contestants for the new series has yet to be announced. The BBC however has already confirmed which pros will be returning to the dancefloor, with Nadiya among the dancers coming back for another series. Nadiya and the other pros have already started rehearsing for the upcoming series. They have posted updates from training on Instagram, including introducing Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon, who are the newest pros on the show. A photo of the group together in a dance studio was shared by Nadiya last night. She wrote in the caption: "Back in the ballroom bubble with the best in the business. Another season, another adventure - and I'm so ready for it."
The Sun
16 minutes ago
- The Sun
Wynne Evans accuses BBC's Strictly Come Dancing of being ‘fundamentally flawed' in its duty of care
WELSH opera singer Wynne Evans has accused the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing of being "fundamentally flawed in its duty of care". The tenor, 53, known for the insurance advertisements, competed in the 20th anniversary series of the hit dancing programme with professional dancer Katya Jones. 4 4 4 In May, Evans announced he had been dropped by the BBC and would no longer present on BBC Radio Wales after apologising for using "inappropriate language" during the launch of the Strictly tour. The apology came after the Mail On Sunday reported in January he had aimed a sexual joke at one of the other professional dancers, Janette Manrara. In an Instagram post with a photo of the Strictly professionals, Evans said: "What it Feels Like to See Pictures of Strictly? "I'll be the first to admit I've made mistakes. Not quite the way the Daily Mail would have you believe, but mistakes all the same." Evans accused the BBC of engaging in a series of "lies and cover-ups in order to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing" and said this was the "hardest part" for him. He added: "From my dealings right at the very top with (BBC director-general) Tim Davie, through BBC Wales and the HR department, one feeling has been constant: the only thing they truly care about is protecting themselves and their jobs and Ratings - people come second. "When I first stepped into the rehearsal room at Strictly, I thought it would be a magical experience. And at the start, it was. But the very first thing I was told was: 'Don't trust anyone in this room - not even me.' "That hit me hard. I've always worn my heart on my sleeve, and while I may sometimes sail close to the line, there's never malice in what I do. "What I wasn't prepared for was the way people will protect their personal and BBC brands, at any cost." Evans claimed in his post that the HR department "twisted facts, invented files and dates, and created a version of events that simply wasn't true". England rugby legend lined up for Strictly – and pairing with show's sexiest dancer "Statements were issued in my name that I hadn't even seen, let alone agreed to. My voice was taken away," he said. Evans 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. At the time, a BBC spokesperson said: "The apology issued on Wynne's behalf by the Strictly Come Dancing Tour PR representative on Saturday January 25 was fully approved by Wynne." Evans also said in his post on Tuesday: "Tim Davie publicly promised that the BBC would safeguard people who took part in Strictly. "I thought about that promise while sitting in a psychiatrist's office near the BBC, staring out of the window at the BBC building, fighting to save my own life. That's how close I came to the edge. "I'm not writing this as a victim, as I said I will own my mistakes. I'm writing it because the system is broken. "Strictly is now fundamentally flawed in its duty of care. It's allowed to continue because of ratings, while people's wellbeing is left in tatters." The BBC published a review in 2024 that looked into allegations of bullying and harassment against former Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice, made by his former dance partner Amanda Abbington. The corporation upheld some but not all of the complaints made and introduced a series of new measures aimed at improving welfare. This included the introduction of a chaperone who is present "at all times" during training room rehearsals. Evans performed in the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Of The Opera and won 2023's Celebrity MasterChef. In May, he told the Sun that the comment he made on the Strictly Come Dancing tour was not sexual or directed at one of the female cast, but instead was a nickname for fellow contestant, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick. In June, the opera singer announced his return to radio with The Wynne Evans Show, a live weekday internet broadcast. The BBC declined to comment on Evans' social media post. The Sun has contacted the BBC for comment.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Coast Guard begins salvage operation and investigates cause of boat collision that killed two girls
The U.S. Coast Guard was beginning a salvage operation on Tuesday while investigating the cause of a boat collision near Miami that left two girls dead, officials said. Capt. Frank Florio, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami, assured the victims' family members during a news conference that the Coast Guard and its partners would do everything in their power to learn what caused the crash. 'We owe you answers, and we are committed to finding them," Florio said. Officials didn't immediately identify any of the victims or release a cause for the crash. The collision between a barge and a sailboat occurred around 11 a.m. Monday in Biscayne Bay, between Miami and Miami Beach. All six people on the sailboat, a teenage sailing camp counselor and five children, ended up in the water. They were in their last week of a camp for children aged 7 to 15, according to the Miami Yacht Club. All six were pulled from the water, and four were rushed to a Miami hospital, officials said. A 7-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl were pronounced dead shortly after arriving, while two other girls, ages 8 and 11, remained in critical condition Tuesday. A 19-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl were rescued but not hospitalized. Local media and prominent TV personalities in Argentina identified the 7-year-old girl killed in the boating crash as Mila Yankelevich, the daughter of director Tomas Yankelevich and actress Sofia Reca and granddaughter of the prominent Argentine television producers Gustavo Yankelevich and Cris Morena. Marcelo Tinelli, a popular TV host and friend of the family, posted on X that he was 'devastated' by Mila's death. 'I can't believe it,' he wrote. 'My immense love to the entire family, who are part of my life.' Actor and presenter Nicolás Vázquez, currently starring in the musical 'Rocky' produced by Gustavo Yankelevich, expressed his heartbreak on Instagram. 'Mila's passing is one of those tragedies that hurts to the soul,' he wrote. Addressing Yankelevich he added: 'Even if we are not blood relatives, what we feel makes us brothers.' Across the U.S. last year, there were over 550 deaths in recreational boating, but only a sliver of those — 43 — were caused by vessels crashing into each other, according to Coast Guard statistics.
