September 25, 2020
UK's 'Strictly Come Dancing' to Feature First Same-Sex Couple
Kevin Schattenkirk READ TIME: 2 MIN.
An extra set of heels will be gracing the stage of the BBC's hit TV series "Strictly Come Dancing" this season. The UK network is defending their inclusion of a same-sex pairing in the wake of public complaints, Metro reports.
The reality series, which first aired in 2004 and has become a television favorite, pairs celebrity partners with professional dancers in Ballroom and Latin dancing competitions. With the next season soon to begin filming, it was announced that retired professional boxer Nicola Adams, who identified as bisexual in a 2017 interview with The Guardian, would be part of a same-sex pairing for the competition.
The announcement prompted complaints from "more than 100 people" – 100 complaints, that is, from England's 56 million population – which the BBC was compelled to address in a statement:
"'Strictly Come Dancing' is an inclusive show and is proud to have featured same sex dancing amongst the professional dancers in group numbers in previous series... We have stated, in the past, that we are open to the prospect of including same sex pairings between our celebrities and professional dancers, should the opportunity arise... Nicola Adams requested an all-female pairing, which we are happy to facilitate. The show is first and foremost about dance, the sex of each partner within a coupling should have no bearing on their routine."
Adams contends that the BBC series is taking "a big step" by including a same-sex pairing. But instead of addressing the minor public outcry, Adams would rather get down to the business of competitively dancing: "I know it's going to be tough, I know the training is going to be hard and I can't dance at all, so this is going to be a totally new challenge for me."
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, "Strictly Come Dancing" is returing for a shorter season this year, having already filmed 14 group dances under safer conditions, with dancers isolating together at a hotel so they could film their routines. But the show promises to be as spectacular as ever: In those 14 routines, there are allegedly over 300 costume changes.
