The BBC has received 206 complaints from viewers after a slogan on Bethany Antonia's T-shirt was blurred out during an episode of Strictly Come Dancing. Fans branded the move "shameful," while the House of the Dragon star defended the broadcaster, saying it "had to do what they had to do."
The controversy began when the BBC shared a clip on social media of rehearsals, showing the words "PROTECT THE DOLLS" on Bethany's top. When the episode aired, the message was obscured, sparking a row over censorship. The slogan is often used to show solidarity with transgender women, having appeared on a garment by fashion designer Conner Ives in 2025.
BBC's Editorial Guidelines Cited
The number of complaints came from the BBC's own report, which confirmed it received complaints about the blurring of a message on a t-shirt in a training room clip from Strictly Come Dancing. Despite the controversy, the broadcaster said its editorial guidelines require steps to limit overt branding and slogans in entertainment programmes, regardless of the message.
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson wrote: "As is standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC and in line with our editorial guidelines, appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question."
Viewers React on Social Media
However, viewers were unimpressed. Taking to social media, one frustrated viewer said: "After posting a video, the BBC quietly replaced it with a new one that doesn't show her from the front. During the show, they blurred out the T-Shirt completely. Absolutely despicable."
Another remarked: "The decision to digitally scrub the 'Protect the Dolls' slogan from Bethany Antonia's T-shirt during Strictly Come Dancing is a shameful and cowardly act of censorship."
A third added: "I hope the BBC censorship drama gets more people to vote for Bethany (and not the opposite). She genuinely is in the top half of stars this season, but her audience votes are quite low in polls comparatively."
Bethany Antonia Responds
Responding to the criticism, Bethany explained why she supported the broadcaster's decision. Speaking to Digital Spy, she said: "I think I made a choice to wear that t-shirt without considering the fact that it was linked to a charity, and that it was linked to what some people consider a brand. The BBC had to do what they had to do when they edited it out, to keep it fair for everybody."
She added: "But I stand with my trans family in every way, and they knew what I was thinking when I wore that T-shirt. And that's all that matters."
Bethany is partnered with Nancy Xu this year and has spoken about how much taking part in a same-sex pairing means to her. "When I watched Nicola [Adams] and Katya [Jones] do it for the first time and be the first same-sex pairing, I wasn't out to everyone in my life. Watching them do the show made it so much easier for me to have that conversation with people in my life... It was so important to me to make sure that if I did Strictly, I got to do it with a woman," she revealed.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday, October 31 at 6.30pm on BBC One.
