Strictly Come Dancing host backs calls for same-sex couples on the show
Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly has backed calls for the hit BBC show to feature same-sex competitors.
The former model said although it probably will not happen in the next series of Strictly Come Dancing, she would like to see two men or two women dance together in a future series.
“Bring it on,” she told Hello! magazine recently.
“It probably won’t happen this year, but in the future, why not?
“It has happened in other countries. In Israel, two female dance partners competed together. What’s more, Strictly is hosted by two women,” she said of herself and co-host Claudia Winkleman.
Her views seem to echo that of Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood, who last month said a same-sex dance pairing probably won’t happen this year, after saying it was “on the cards”.
The popular BBC dance show pairs celebrities up with professional dancers – but to date, only opposite-sex couples have competed.
However, due to the growing popularity of same-sex dance competitions, judge Craig Revel Horwood previously confirmed changes will take place in the next two seasons to remove the gender rules – but now doubts that will happen until at least 2016.
Fellow judge Bruno Tonioli also supports the idea – earlier this month, he said having a same-sex couple on the show would be “absolutely fantastic”.
However, not everybody agrees.
Former Strictly dancer James Jordan caused controversy by saying that having a same sex couple dancing on the show would be “wrong” because “they would lose so many viewers.”
He went on: “I have nothing against same-sex couples, if they want to go and do their own competitions.
“But ballroom and Latin dancing is about a man dancing with a woman – that’s fact.”
Although when his wife, current Strictly dancer Ola Jordan was asked if she agreed with him, she said flatly “no”.
