FORMER Strictly Come Dancing star Ian Waite has lifted the lid on life behind-the-scenes of the BBC show as he admits there were often “shouting matches” as well as few safeguarding rules to protect the pro dancers.
Ian starred on seven series of the BBC dance competition show from his first appearance in 2004 until 2019.
He admitted he was devastated at being cut from the Strictly pro-line up, but has since moved on with other TV roles that include presenting for the BBC, including in It Takes Two. In 2023, he also put on his dancing shoes once more as he signed on to be professional on Dancing with the Stars Australia.
“When I was dropped from Strictly, I was pretty devastated,” he revealed on the Stripping Off with Matt Haycox podcast. “It took me two years to get over it,” he added.
“Presenting kept me connected to the Strictly family, but it was a tough transition. I was used to dancing, not talking for a living,” Ian said.
While no longer being on the show, Ian has kept up with the latest on Strictly news. So when host Matt asked him about the ongoing scandals involving pro dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, Ian took the opportunity to lift the lid on what things are like behind the scenes on Strictly for the dancers.
Speaking from his own experience, Ian said: “I’ll be honest, it’s quite a shock and surprise that these allegations have been thrown around because, certainly in my time on Strictly, I never experienced anything like that.”
Strictly’s ongoing abuse scandal began when Amanda Abbington launched an official complaint with the BBC against her 2023 dance partner, Giovanni Pernice.
The Sicilian dancer quit the series in May shortly before an official investigation was launched into his behaviour towards Amanda, the results of which are still pending as new evidence has come to light.
Meanwhile, other former contestants, such as Made in Chelsea star Zara McDermott, have also come forward with allegations of abuse against her pro dance partner, Graziano Di Prima.
Graziano was sacked after a video of him “hitting and kicking” Zara was shown to bosses.
However, both dancers have denied the allegations against them.
Speaking on the podcast, Ian admitted things can get pretty heated behind the scenes and during rehearsals – but added that he never saw any abuse happening.
“I mean, there were times when I fell out with my partner. Yes, and there were times when there was even, like, a lot of shouting matches going on, but it was for good reason,” he explained.
“In the past I have pushed celebrities, and that’s just to get the best out of them but I would say that it was done in a way which just to bring out the best in them,” Ian added, explaining that tensions can rise behind the scenes.
“It is like a teacher-pupil scenario at the end of the day,” he said.
Ian Waite’s career from Strictly to now
Ian is a professional dancer who did a seven season stint on Strictly. He specialised in Latin American dancing – but what else do you need to know about his career?
- Ian loved dancing from a young age and turned professional in 1997 at the age of 17. He quickly formed a partnership with fellow pro dancer Inga Haas. They trained together for nine months and came third in the British Professional Rising Stars.
- To further his dance career, Ian decided to move to the Netherlands to train with the choreographer and dance coach, Ruud Vermeij. There, he formed a four-year partnership with Natalia Panina, with whom he won the Dutch Championship.
- After five years in the Netherlands Ian returned to home and in 2004 started dancing with Camilla Dallerup. Their first competition was the International Championships at the Royal Albert Hall, where they made the semi-final and in November of that year. They also made the final of the British National Dance Championships and performs a series of ballroom and Latin dances on the DVD The Magic of Dance.
- 2004 also marked the start of Ian’s Strictly career. During his first year he was partnered with Denise Lewis and together they reached the final. He reached the final the following year with Zoe Ball, finishing in 3rd place behind Colin Jackson and Erin Boag and the Strictly winners for that year, Darren Gough and Lilia Kopylova. He continued in Strictly until 2009.
- In 2011, Ian joined the Strictly spin-off It Takes Two as a presenter. He reunited with his former dance partner Zoe for Waite’s Wednesday Warm-up, in which he gives the fans a sneak peek of the Strictly rehearsals and offers his expert take on their routines.
- Ian has admitted that transitioning from Strictly pro dancer to BBC presenter was a difficult move. “Presenting kept me connected to the Strictly family, but it was a tough transition. I was used to dancing, not talking for a living,” Ian said on the Stripping Off with Matt Haycox podcast.
- He also admitted that it wasn’t his choice to leave Strictly. “When I was dropped from Strictly, I was pretty devastated. I was exhausted and probably didn’t make the best impression when I met with the new producer. Looking back, I should’ve taken a break. At the time, I was devastated—it took me two years to get over it,” Ian revealed.
- However, Ian has continued to dance professionally too. In 2023, Ian joined the cast of Dancing With the Stars Australia, making it through to the semi-finals with his partner Virginia Gay.
- He has also created a Ballroom and Latin dance fitness programme with Mark Foster and fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional Natalie Lowe called FitSteps.
Ian also highlighted that during his time on the show there was a lack of safeguarding and rules in place to protect the dancers on the show.
He said: “I think in any work situation, it doesn’t matter what it is, even if it’s TV or whatever, there has to be a level of respect and certain lines that have to be drawn, surely.
“One of the problems here is, as a pro dancer, we weren’t given all of the safeguarding rules or the rules that we should be sticking to as far as with our celebrities.
“I suppose now that situation has arised, then obviously there’s got to be a lot more safeguarding and a lot more… we need to know what the rules are.”
He added that without safeguarding rules in place, there’s no way to prove allegations.
“It’s like in a corporate business, where they get different celebs, interview them, and gather their accounts. But unless it’s all filmed, it’s your word against theirs,” he said.
Ian’s comments come after Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood also spoke out about the need for there to be more protection for dancers, as well as celebrities.
Speaking about the new safeguarding measures that have been brought into effect for the current season, Craig then emphasised that “everyone must be protected – including people that are teaching,” especially behind closed doors.
He added that while professional performers had to be subject to high standards, the use of chaperones will help prevent mistreatment on both sides.
These chaperones are now present in all rehearsals, while two wellbeing specialists have joined the production team.
Series 22 of Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays at 7.20pm on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Results episodes will air on Sundays from Week 2.
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Source: Los Angeles Times (edited)
