Strictly Come Dancing bosses reportedly faced difficulties signing contestants for the upcoming series following a series of scandals, including the sacking of professional dancer Graziano di Prima and Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans. Sources told the Daily Mail that the BBC had to expand its roster as they were 'struggling' to get talent to sign up.
Several celebrities expressed surprise at how quickly they were accepted onto the show. Vicky Pattison, known for Geordie Shore, said: 'I've never been asked before and I've always wanted to be. I was expecting it to have a long tail.' Dani Dyer, daughter of actor Danny Dyer, also voiced her 'shock' at being accepted so easily.
Only three of the 15 contestants had been asked to appear on the show before, according to sources. A Strictly spokesperson denied any change in the casting process, stating: 'There was absolutely no difference to the casting process this year, both in timescale and the great mix of names wanting to take part.'
The scandals include actress Amanda Abbington's accusations against dancer Giovanni Pernice, Graziano di Prima's sacking for kicking Zara McDermott, and Wynne Evans' removal from his BBC Wales breakfast show for inappropriate language. The show's launch is set for September 20.
