Workers face a ‘toxic culture’ amid claims from Amanda Abbington and Zara McDermott

Oscar joined the Strictly employees when he was 18 anticipating it to be heat and welcoming, like he had seen on TV.

However the actuality was very completely different.

As a runner on the present, he was shouted at and known as silly, he says. As soon as, a star screamed at him, getting so near Oscar’s face that he may really feel spit, he tells BBC Information.

“The entire tradition was poisonous, significantly for junior employees,” he mentioned.

The row over Strictly in current weeks has targeted on celebrities and their skilled dance companions.

The present’s manufacturing employees have been largely forgotten within the debate. These are individuals like runners, who do the unglamorous, lower-paid work. Usually, they do not have a voice.

BBC Information has spoken to fifteen present and former members of employees on the present about its tradition behind the scenes. All wished to stay nameless for worry of profession repercussions.

Some instructed a constructive story of dancers and employees who have been form and respectful to them. However others painted an image of a office during which staff have been bullied and junior workers have been shouted at by skilled dancers.

“I believe it’s terrible for the celebrities who suffered, however I believe for the crew it’s a a lot larger drawback,” a former TV package deal editor on Strictly, Jane, instructed us.

A BBC Studios spokesperson mentioned they do not recognise the claims, nor will “lots of of manufacturing personnel” who’ve labored throughout the 20 years the present has been on air.

They apologised if anybody did not really feel capable of increase their experiences on the time, including: “The welfare and security of our crew on every sequence has all the time been, and stays, our utmost precedence.”

The dance world is known for its intense coaching, and exacting requirements.

With Strictly, you will have a weekly nationwide TV present, which entails tight deadlines and the necessity to have a dance routine perfected by Saturday evening.

Once you put these two issues collectively, you possibly can see why it’d lead to a strain cooker setting.

Jane labored on Strictly’s spin-off present, It Takes Two. The identical crew shot the packages for Strictly as for It Takes Two, so she would hear of what was occurring on each exhibits.

“Once you’re within the edit suite, you’re like a therapist,” she instructed BBC Information.

“Crew would are available and inform me about their experiences as we reduce their .”

Jane says junior employees would say they’d skilled “verbal abuse” from among the dancers, together with “shouting, screaming and being insulted, to a rare degree”.

“No matter temper the dancers have been in, would dictate how your day would go,” she mentioned.

BBC Studios famous that Jane’s testimony relies on hearsay, which, it mentioned, “shouldn’t be uncommon within the {industry}, significantly round profitable lengthy operating exhibits”.

However what Jane overheard is echoed by Oscar’s precise experiences.

“Producers could be ingesting and partying, whereas everybody else was operating round stressed,” he mentioned.

On one event, he requested somebody for a handover, however says he was known as “silly” for asking. “It was bullying behaviour,” he mentioned. “I felt sick, and couldn’t sleep or eat.”

Oscar says his worst expertise concerned one of many celeb contestants on the present.

He describes them as flying right into a rage when he handed on easy directions to them earlier than a present. He says nothing he did would appease the celeb.

“He was shouting and he was so shut up in my face, I needed to shut my eyes as his spit flecks have been hitting me,” he mentioned.

“The actual fact it was in entrance of everybody made me really feel terrible and helpless. Folks have been stopping within the hall to catch a glimpse of what was occurring.”

The celeb later apologised to him. However Oscar mentioned it by no means ought to’ve occurred within the first place.

“I keep in mind pondering that this was it, and I could not take it anymore,” he added. “It was the ultimate straw for me.”

Oscar left the present shortly after.

Strictly – with its vivid lights, sparkles and sequins – has been operating for nearly 20 years.

However just lately, the shine has come off the present.

Quite a few former celebrities – together with Amanda Abbington, Zara McDermott and Laura Whitmore – have made allegations about the best way they have been handled on the present.

Paralympian Will Bayley has additionally spoken out about his experiences, after he was injured following strain to do a bounce.

And what we have now heard from former manufacturing employees, signifies there might be a wider drawback with the office tradition.

Others have described extra constructive experiences. A choreographer who we’re calling Katie, who nonetheless works on the present, instructed us she loves it.

“I’ve by no means ever seen any of what’s being reported,” she mentioned.

“I’ve by no means had a problem with any dancers or employees, I like them and they’re very form and respect me tons.”

A beautician, Laura, who has been on the present for eight years, additionally mentioned she had by no means seen any bullying.

She mentioned she was “shocked” to listen to among the allegations, and that they made her “a bit apprehensive” about going again.

In July, Sherlock actress Abbington revealed she had first raised issues with Strictly producers on her third day in rehearsals.

The BBC has mentioned it takes points “extraordinarily critically”, whereas Abbington’s dance companion Giovanni Pernice has denied “any declare of threatening or abusive behaviour”.

However manufacturing employees we have now spoken to have additionally flagged points with elevating complaints.

Oscar by no means complained about what was occurring, as a result of he mentioned he felt he would not be listened to.

“Except you have been a manufacturing government or one of many producer’s mates, you weren’t empowered to boost points,” he mentioned.

In response, BBC Studios instructed us it was “sorry” if Oscar did not really feel capable of communicate up about his experiences.

Different former runners, additionally chatting with us anonymously, have painted the same image.

Anika, who was a runner within the earlier runs of the present, joined the present to get work expertise. She was initially excited to get the job, however she shortly discovered the work setting “exhausting”.

“There was lots of shouting backstage,” she instructed BBC Information.

She mentioned one of many male dancers, who has since left the present, handled individuals “in an insane manner. The way in which he spoke to ladies, together with feminine dancers and junior employees, was disgusting and chauvinistic. We’d be warned about working with him”.

She additionally mentioned she didn’t really feel she may increase points.

“I used to be a no person, a bit of runner, I didn’t suppose I may complain,” she mentioned.

Anna, not her actual title, was a runner on a Strictly Christmas particular. She mentioned members of the manufacturing staff would “lose their tempers” at extra junior employees.

She mentioned usually junior individuals did not really feel they may report issues as they felt nervous of profession repercussions.

Robert – additionally not his actual title – labored on Strictly within the earlier runs of the present.

As a choreographer, he says he spent hours refining actions and perfecting routines. He says producers would get irate and shout at him if even the smallest factor went mistaken, however he felt “afraid” to say something again.

“I left of my very own accord and need there was one thing or somebody I may have spoken to about my issues.”

Strictly is a massively prestigious present to work on, particularly for these early on of their careers.

However individuals we have spoken to have mentioned that that’s really a part of the issue.

“There’s a way that you just’re fortunate to be on the present because it is likely one of the greatest within the UK, so it is best to put up with all the issues you would possibly face,” Robert instructed us.

That is one thing Jack, who labored on the present as a runner, additionally alleges.

He described an incident the place a runner was requested to scrub one of many dressing rooms. He says the producers instructed them they “ought to be fortunate simply to be on the present”.

“I assume the issue is that [Strictly is] so huge and so beneficial to the BBC, one among their primary cash makers, those that are operating the manufacturing really feel untouchable,” he mentioned.

Jack mentioned the vibe was “all in regards to the glitz and glamour and no look after these making the present”.

The entire expertise made him wish to go away TV for some time.

For the BBC, there is not any doubt the entire saga has been damaging.

Final month, its director normal Tim Davie apologised to Strictly contestants and warned that the present’s professionals shouldn’t cross the road between being aggressive and “unacceptable behaviour”.

Following these newest allegations from manufacturing employees, BBC Studios mentioned it “doesn’t recognise” the claims, “nor will lots of of manufacturing personnel who’ve labored with us by way of a number of sequence and throughout the 20 years the present has been on air.

“Utilizing our industry-leading initiative The Pledge on all our productions, together with Strictly, we proactively encourage everybody on set to boost issues of inappropriate behaviour through a number of avenues, together with anonymously to an exterior third-party whistleblowing service unbiased of the BBC/BBC Studios.

“We act speedily when any points are raised, and have thorough, efficient, and longstanding processes to handle them – and we’re sorry if anybody didn’t really feel capable of discuss their expertise on-set on the time.”

Some would possibly argue that the tales coming to mild are simply a part of the tough and tumble of TV.

However that is one thing individuals we have spoken to reject.

“I don’t suppose the tough and tumble of TV is a factor anymore. The world has moved on, it shouldn’t be occurring,” mentioned Anika.

Mr Davie, for his half, has insisted the present will return as deliberate this autumn.

And this week, the BBC has began saying the celeb line-up for the 2024 sequence.

I requested Jane whether or not she thinks the present will survive.

“I believe the BBC will not let it disappear,” she mentioned.

“However there must be change. It could’t go on like this.”