Strictly snubbed by BAFTAs for first time in show's history after wave of scandals

Strictly Come Dancing hasn't picked up any nominations for the upcoming BAFTA TV Awards following another year of scandals. The long-running BBC dance competition is usually up for Best Entertainment Programme but has been snubbed this year for the first time ever in the show's history.

Instead, the Entertainment Programme is made up of nominees The 1% Club (ITV1), Michael McIntyre’s Big Show (BBC One), Taskmaster ( Channel 4 ) and Would I Lie To You? (BBC One).

Strictly premiered on our screens back in 2004 and has been nominated each year since - winning in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2024. However, the star-studded series has suffered setbacks over recent months thanks to multiple behind-the-scenes issues.

Last year, Amanda Abbington, 51, alleged she was subjected to "inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying" in a "toxic environment" while she was a contestant on the competition in 2023. The BBC upheld "some, but not all" of the allegations made by Amanda about her dance partner Giovanni Pernice – who has always denied the accusations.

Following the allegations raised about Giovanni's conduct, fellow dancer Graziano Di Prima also left the show ahead of the 2024 series starting. He told the Daily Mail that he "wasn’t meaning to kick" his 2023 dance partner Zara McDermott and did not know from where the Love Island star’s allegations had come from.

The 2024 offering from Strictly wasn't without drama or scandal - even after the series wrapped up. In January, Wynne Evans said he is "deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused", as he announced he would be taking some time out from his BBC Radio Wales show and the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour to prioritise his wellbeing.

His statement followed an apology he issued days earlier for an "inappropriate and unacceptable" remark made during the tour launch earlier in the month.

The Mail On Sunday reported that Wynne, known for the Go.Compare insurance advertisements, was heard making the remark to a woman in a video filmed during the event. The Mirror understands he was given a warning over the remark by tour producers.

It's not all bad news for Strictly when it comes to the BAFTAs. 2024 winners Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone has been nominated for the P&O Cruises Memorable Moment honour. Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice won a similar award in 2022 for their Couple's Choice routine.

Netflix ’s dark comedy series Baby Reindeer leads the way at this year’s Bafta TV awards with eight nominations. ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which helped focus attention on the subpostmasters who were wrongly prosecuted during the Horizon IT scandal, has six nominations and is also nominated in the P&O Cruises’ memorable moment category.

Disney+ drama Rivals, which is adapted from a novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, has six nominations and a memorable moment nod, while Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, starring Oscar winner Gary Oldman, also has six nods.

The nominations for Baby Reindeer include a leading actor nod for Scottish comedian and writer Richard Gadd, the show’s creator, as well as a supporting actress nomination for Jessica Gunning, who has already won a prestigious Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award, as well as a Emmy and Golden Globe for her role in the series.

The Netflix hit, said to be inspired by the real-life experiences of Gadd, sees his character Donny being stalked by a woman called Martha, played by Gunning, after he serves her a free cup of tea in the pub where he works.

Baby Reindeer, which is also nominated in the limited drama category, has hit headlines since being released on Netflix last year, due to a woman claiming to be the “real” Martha coming forward to bring a lawsuit against the streaming company.

Also nominated is trans actress Nava Mau, in the supporting actress category, for her role in Baby Reindeer as Teri, Donny’s girlfriend, a category which has also seen Katherine Parkinson nominated for Rivals, Maxine Peake for Say Nothing, Monica Dolan for Sherwood and Sue Johnston for Channel 4 drama Truelove.

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