STRICTLY Come Dancing has been called out by a major UK charity after a major change to BBC show voting was revealed.
This week, the broadcaster announced phone voting would be scrapped – leaving those eager show fans eager to send their favourite of the 2025 line up to the next round needing access to a computer and the internet to do so.
Strictly Come Dancing has been called out after a major change to voting for the 2025 series[/caption]
Viewers last year were able to vote for eventual winners Chris and Dianne on the phone and online[/caption]
Yet the BBC has now scrapped telephone voting completely[/caption]
So while excitement for the new Strictly series had started to build, courtesy of the release of a new trailer, this has been dampened somewhat by the news.
While the BBC argued phone votes were an “outdated system and also expensive to run” a campaign group has suggested the channel is now treating a segment of viewers with “contempt.”
Dennis Reed, director of the campaign group Silver Voices, said it was “loyal” Strictly-lovers who would be impacted and told how elderly voters in particular were at risk of being “disenfranchised.”
He blasted the news and told The Telegraph: “Once again the BBC is showing that it treats its loyal older viewers with contempt.
“Older people who are not online, but enjoy participating through phone polls, are being disenfranchised.
“This is a thinly concealed plot to force all viewers online and into iPlayer, in preparation for an early end of terrestrial TV, which the BBC is obsessed with achieving.”
Caroline Abrahams, charity director for Age UK, supported his views.
She said: “Being unable to phone in to a BBC vote may seem trivial, but if you’re an older person who has enjoyed participating in this way and you aren’t online, it may feel like another hurtful example of the world moving on and leaving you far behind.”
Strictly told how an “overwhelming” number of votes during the 2024 series – won by Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland – were placed online.
Strictly‘s first live show is set to air on September 27th, one week after the competition comes back for 2025.
In the first episode, viewers will be introduced to the contestants as well as learn who each dancer is paired with for the duration of the show.
The first elimination will take place around a week after this on October 5th.
This is when viewers will have their chance to vote solely online for the first time.
Strictly Come Dance 2025 lineup
Strictly Come Dancing news and the latest line up
- Nitro from Gladiators will be showing off his dance moves on this year’s show.
- Doctor Who and ER star Alex Kingston has signed up.
- Chris Robshaw, former Harlequins and England rugby captain.
- Eastenders actress Suki Panesar, has moved from Walford to the ballroom.
- Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis has been confirmed.
- George Clarke, a YouTube star, joins Strictly.
- Dani Dyer, joins with previous dancing experience.
- La Voix is the first drag star to join the main series
- Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink swaps is football boots for dancing shoes.
- Ellie Goldstein became the first contestant with Down’s Syndrome to take part.
- Thomas Skinner is swapping the boardroom for ballroom dancing
- I’m a Celeb winner Vicky Pattison has been announced.
- Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope was announced as the last contestant.
- Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn pulled out of the show before the launch date over medical reasons.
STRICTLY CHAMP
Meanwhile, with the new Strictly series set to kick off, fans have already spotted this year’s winner.
Despite the new series having not even launched yet, some fans reckon they’ve identified this year’s Glitterball champ.
Former Emmerdale star Lewis Cope joined this year’s line-up as a last minute replacement.
The 30-year-old stepped in after Game of Thrones‘ Kristian Nairn withdrew on medical grounds.
As it happens, Lewis already has years of dance experience under his belt.
He previously spent eight years in the dance group, Ruff Diamond who were runners up in Sky TV’s Got to Dance competition.
When he was 18-years-old, Lewis found himself performing in front of judges Ashley Banjo, Kimberly Wyatt and Aston Merrygold.
The ex-soap actor has also competed in the world championship final three times.
Meanwhile, this year’s Strictly line-up also includes Dani Dyer, Balvinder Sopal, Thomas Skinner and Vicky Pattinson.
The first name to be announced for the 2025 series was Gladiators star Nitro – real name Harry Aikines Aryeetey – who took in the Christmas Special last year.
He was quickly followed by Doctor Who star Alex Kingston and former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, to name a few.
The Sun also exclusively revealed how one show professional had accidentally revealed their celebrity partner.
The show has now been accused of treating older viewers with ‘contempt’[/caption]
Silver voices claimed older viewers are being ‘disenfranchised’[/caption]
The BBC claims the majority of votes placed last season were online[/caption]