Strictly Come Dancing returns tonight for 20th anniversary series after summer controversy

Strictly Come Dancing will return to TV tonight for its 20th anniversary season after controversy over the alleged treatment of its celebrity contestants.

The BBC launched an investigation following allegations about Giovanni Pernice by former Strictly participant Amanda Abbington.

Abbington was the first to allege “inappropriate” behaviour on the show and claimed she was subject to a “toxic environment” while she danced alongside Pernice.

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Pernice has denied the allegations. Last week he announced he is joining the Italian “equivalent of Dancing With The Stars”.

His fellow dancer Graziano Di Prima was axed after he admitted kicking Strictly partner Zara McDermott in training once last year.

TV presenter Laura Whitmore and Paralympian Will Bayley have also spoken out about duty of care issues.

Ahead of the new series, the BBC dancing show said it would introduce new welfare measures including a chaperone who will be present “at all times” during rehearsals.

Strictly’s launch show will see its celebrity contestants paired up with their professional partners.

‘A total honour and privilege’

Presenter Claudia Winkleman, who will host the launch show, said: “It feels a total honour and privilege, I love working on Strictly so much.

“I start getting excited in July, the fake tanning starts in earnest on September 1 and there’s no let-up until Christmas.”

The 52-year-old revealed she does not know who has won until her co-host Tess Daly announces their name during the final episode.

“I genuinely have no idea who’s going to win, Tess says the name and I find out with everyone else, it’s a magic moment,” she said.

Daly, 55, who has presented the show since it began in 2004, said: “It’s such an honour to have been there since the very first show aired back in 2004 and now here we are about to celebrate our 20th birthday.

“My overriding memories of that first show are of being very nervous and very pregnant.

“But even then, there was a buzz in the air, like no other I’d ever experienced on a live television show. It felt so exciting, and it still does.”

Amy Dowden returns after breast cancer treatment

The 22nd series of the dancing show will also see the return of professional dancer Amy Dowden, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023.

She found a lump the day before her honeymoon and missed out on having a celebrity partner in that year’s series of Strictly.

In February the 34-year-old announced she would return to the show this year, after a mastectomy and chemotherapy left her with “no evidence of disease” following tests.

The launch show will begin at 7.20pm tonight.