Reality TV star Thomas Skinner has reportedly severed ties with his talent agency following the release of figures that appear to contradict his claims that Strictly Come Dancing voting was rigged against him. The development comes after the former Apprentice contestant had threatened legal action against the BBC.
Poll Reveals 'Cold, Hard Facts' of Public Vote
Skinner's allegations of result manipulation have been challenged by an independent exit poll conducted by the website Strictly Spoiler. The survey of 125,000 viewers, entirely separate from the official BBC vote, indicated that Skinner was overwhelmingly the least popular contestant. He received a mere 1,805 votes, or 1.4% of the total, in the poll conducted after his elimination.
A source told The Mirror: 'The poll - which is larger than an exit poll for a general election - comprehensively shows that Skinner was the least popular contestant by a long way. There is no conspiracy. These are the cold, hard facts.'
A Series of Controversies and a Legal Threat
The 34-year-old's stint on the show was controversial from the outset, due to his outspoken right-wing views. The controversy intensified when he publicly confessed to cheating on his wife, Sinead, shortly after their wedding. Skinner and his professional partner, Amy Dowden, 35, scored a total of 29 out of 80 over two performances, landing in the bottom two before being eliminated.
Skinner claimed he had received an anonymous email containing evidence that the public vote was fixed to ensure his early exit, prompting him to seek legal advice. However, the BBC stated he has not shared this alleged email with them, preventing any investigation into its contents.
BBC and Verifiers Deny Any Irregularities
Both the BBC and the independent company that verifies the Strictly vote have robustly denied any wrongdoing. A BBC spokesperson said: 'Strictly Come Dancing's public vote is independently overseen and verified to ensure complete accuracy every week. Any claims to the contrary are entirely without foundation.'
PromoVeritas, the independent verification company, added: 'All votes are independently and comprehensively verified by two auditors. We can confirm that all votes received are validated. This has been the case every week.'
Amid the fallout, Skinner's management company, Insanity – which also represents stars like Sam Thompson and Roman Kemp – reportedly informed him of their decision to part ways on Saturday. This coincides with the revelation of the polling data that severely undermines his core claim.
Skinner's Regret and Continued Insistence
In a since-deleted statement reported by The Mirror, Skinner expressed deep regret over joining the show, stating the 'only positive' was meeting partner Amy Dowden. He insisted he was on 'good terms' with the BBC but remained convinced the vote was not fair.
'I know I've made plenty of mistakes in my life and I hold my hands up to that,' he said. 'But what I can't accept is my family being dragged into this... If I'm being completely honest, I really regret doing Strictly Come Dancing. I wish I'd never done it.'
Despite the independent poll and the BBC's assurances, a source told The Sun that Skinner 'is adamant he got a larger share of the public vote and believes he has the evidence to prove it,' setting the stage for a potential continued dispute.
