Strictly Come Dancing is odds-on to be cancelled after the 2024 series has completed its run.
Oddsmakers give a 60 per cent likelihood of the show ending amid a storm of negative stories about the culture and treatment of contestants on the BBC’s flagship programme.
“It’s hard to keep Strictly Come Dancing out of the news at the moment and unfortunately for fans of the hit BBC show it’s been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons”, a spokesperson from fairbettingsites.co.uk said.
“After a string of complaints by former contestants about being mistreated by their dancing partners, it’s hard to see Strictly surviving after this series and the oddsmakers seem to agree – giving the show a 60 per cent chance of being axed after 2024.
“Strictly has been the BBC’s stalwart show each year since 2004, but with new allegations cropping up by the week, it seems we could be seeing the ‘Last Tango in Blackpool’ this year – in what will be the 20th anniversary of the series.”
On Monday, former contestant Will Bayley said he suffered serious injury while performing a jump in rehearsals for the programme, and has claimed there was “no duty of care”.
The Paralympian has said producers were told the jump from a table during a routine was too dangerous, but he was encouraged to do it anyway, and after he was injured show bosses made him feel as though it was his fault.
His torn knee ligaments forced him to pull out of the series in 2019.
The table tennis player is the latest star to speak about his experiences on the show, after concerns were raised about the treatment of contestants Amanda Abbington and Zara McDermott.
Abbington has described professional Giovanni Pernice’s behaviour as “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean”. He denies the claims.
Meanwhile, professional Graziano Di Prima left the show after allegations about his treatment of Love Island star McDermott.
On July 16 the BBC said it would introduce measures to “strengthen welfare and support” on the show, including a chaperone who will be present “at all times” during training room rehearsals. the systems and processes in place and we are updating and changing it.
“I think we can deliver the show successfully this season.”
Asked if the BBC had taken its eye off the ball with events that had gone on in the training room, he said: “There are clearly learnings, specifically with oversight of the training rooms, that we need to address. With the benefit of hindsight, you always say could we have done more?
“The measures we have taken, I believe, are an appropriate and fair response.”
Related: Govt may need to ‘deliberately put people off travelling by train’ due to row-back on HS2
