Thomas Skinner's future on Strictly Come Dancing is uncertain after he stormed out of the show's first press event. The Apprentice star, 34, grabbed a reporter's phone during an interview, objecting to being recorded.
An insider told the Mirror: "He walked to the table with his head down, he sat down, grabbed one of the reporters' phones, who told him to stop. It was a shock." Another source said the reaction "came out of nowhere."
BBC bosses are reportedly furious. A BBC insider told the Daily Mail: "What Tom did was a disgrace. It’s normal for interviews of this nature to be taped." Another source added: "This is exactly what Strictly did not need."
A BBC spokesperson said: "The BBC is very clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected will not be tolerated on our programmes."
Skinner had already faced criticism for social media posts about national pride and safety in London. BBC boss Tim Davie said the casting decision was made by the production team, not him.
