Thomas Skinner, the first contestant eliminated from this year's Strictly Come Dancing, has alleged that the BBC fixed the vote to ensure his departure. The former Apprentice contestant claimed on social media that he received an anonymous email, purportedly from a BBC executive, containing statistics that showed he had received far more votes than officially recorded.
Skinner, 34, who described himself as 'non-political' despite wearing a Make America Great Again cap and meeting US Vice-President JD Vance, said the email also indicated the BBC was 'angry' and 'nervous' about his encounter with Vance. He added that he had the email's authenticity 'independently verified', though it remains unclear how.
The BBC has strongly denied the allegations. A spokesperson stated: '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.' The corporation noted that Skinner has not shared the email with them despite requests.
PromoVeritas, the independent verifier of the Strictly public vote, confirmed that all votes are validated by two auditors and that no issues have been reported. Skinner also claimed his welcome gift to the show was the only one stolen, a claim the BBC refuted, saying no welcome gifts were supplied.
Skinner has reportedly threatened legal action over his early elimination, though the BBC is not aware of any formal complaint. He will not attend Saturday's final but is set to appear in Celebrity Apprentice on 29 and 30 December.
