by Ann Widdecombe has told Strictly Come Dancing contestants to “grow up” and stop complaining about alleged abuse by their dance partners.
The former Tory minister said the famous women who made allegations should have spoken out at the time.
The BBC show is in crisis following allegations of bullying against Giovanni Pernice and claims of physical and verbal abuse against Graziano di Prima during rehearsals.
Both dancers have left the show. Pernice denied the allegations and promised to clear his name. Di Prima said he “deeply regrets” the events that led to his departure, adding: “My determination to win may have affected my training regime.”
Zara McDermott, who partnered Graziano Di Prima in last year’s show, described her experiences in the training room as “extremely distressing”.
Di Prima announced he was leaving the show at the weekend following allegations he was physically and verbally abusive to McDermott, 27.
His colleague, Giovanni Pernice, also left after allegations made by his former dance partner, Amanda Abbington. He denies the claims and has promised to clear his name.
Widdecombe was a competitor in the 2010 series.
Appearing on Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine Show to discuss the current Strictly crisis, she said: “These are adults. I would take this very seriously if they were children. These are adults.
“What do we mean, ‘bullies’? These are adults. What do we mean, ‘bullying’? Why didn’t they take action?
“You know, it’s nothing new, and the idea of having a receptor for an adult—an adult!”
She said of Abbington: “Amanda says she had post-traumatic stress disorder as if she had been in a war. It’s a dance competition. Grow up everybody, grow up.”
Meanwhile, two other former contestants Richard Coles and Esher Rantzen have said that Strictly Come Dancing is “very competitive” and inflated more than its worth.
Dame Esther said that Strictly had become “a lot more professional”, more competitive and tougher since she appeared in the second series of Strictly in 2004 when she was partnered with Anton du Beke.
“I understand why the producers want the dancing to be beautiful, but really, this is an entertainment show about amateurs.
“My only concern is why it has taken so long for these complaints to come to light. And if I were a producer – and I’ve been a producer in my time – that’s the question I’d ask myself a little bit,” she told Times Radio.
“They need to ask themselves why nobody wants to complain when things go wrong.”
When asked why she thought that, Dame Esther replied: “I think she’s a sacred cow. I think it’s an iconic program now and I think everybody’s outdone it.”
Rev Coles, who appeared on the show in 2017, said: “I’ve spoken to contestants and professionals about it. And I don’t think anyone is surprised that this stuff has come to light.
“I think everyone is concerned to see that appropriate measures are put in place to mitigate it.”
He said: “I remember someone who worked on the show for years and years saying to me, ‘Strictly is a great show with a dark heart’. And I didn’t really understand what that meant, but maybe one of the things that meant is what you don’t see, which is how competitive he is.
“And also, I think, the fact that it’s so important to the BBC – how much effort goes into keeping the glitter on the glitter ball, if you see what I mean.
“You know, for some people it’s a breakthrough experience or a career break. And you understand why the smile gets a little fixed and the glow a little shiny.”
He continued: “The world of professional ballroom and Latin is extremely competitive. These dancers have been doing it literally since they were children. It’s unemotional, it’s brutal, and they work in regimes that are uncontrollable to people who aren’t used to it.
“It’s often a culture shock for people who come into it. That is not to excuse or condone any inappropriate behaviour.”
Rev Coles said his experience with dance partner Dianne Buswell was “uniformly good. We had a great relationship, on and off camera, and I didn’t know there was anything wrong with him at the time.”
The BBC this week announced a new set of duty-of-care measures, including the installation of attendants in rehearsal rooms at all times.
However, not all former contestants agree that this is a good idea.
Edwina Currie, who partnered Vincent Simone in the 2011 series, said: “The idea of chaperones in every practice worries me.
“I mean, you won’t be able to flirt. You know, what’s going to happen to those little scenes?”
