Strictly Come Dancing fans have been dealt another blow after the BBC announced the closure of its much-loved blog to bitter disappointment.
The BBC returns with the first episode of the new season on Saturday with celebrities such as Chris McCausland, JB Gill and Nick Knowles hitting the dance floor with pros Amy Dowden, Diane Buswell, and Gorka Marquez.
Sadly, not everything has remained the same as the BBC blog which provided ‘the latest news and backstage gossip’ and ‘was the place to get your daily dose of dance floor drama and training room trials’ has closed its doors.
It has run in some form since as far back as 2010 and has been a hub for Strictly viewers to keep up to date with the hit reality competition and offer their own thoughts and opinions on the latest developments.
The news comes after a tough year for the dance show. In May, former pro Giovanni Pernice, 34, left Strictly after claims from his 2023 partner Amanda Abbington of ‘bullying’ and ‘abusive behavior which he has denied.
This was followed by ex-pro Graziano Di Prima, 30, who also exited the show after one of his previous partners, Zara McDermott, accused him of being ‘physically and verbally abusive’. Graziano’s representative has since shared an apology.
The controversies have sparked discourse about the safety standard behind the glitz and glamour with current Strictly professionals, and former contestants all pitching in with their experiences and opinions.
However, for any members of the public who want to have their opinion heard – the blog will no longer be the place to do it.
In a final post on September 17, the BBC wrote: ‘We understand that a community has built up over the years and some of you will find this disappointing,
‘However, in line with changing audience behaviours a decision has been made to direct users to our social channels where there are active communities discussing the show on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.’
The media company confirmed the comment section would be shut down after 24 hours and no more content would be ‘published or updated’.
‘Thank you for your contributions over the years, and we hope that you join us on our social channels,’ the message concluded.
The move to newer forms of social media has not gone down well with those in the comments, with many sharing their love for the blog and their lack of social media savvy to keep up with the new approach.
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‘I am not on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok so thank you BBC, NOT!!!!!!’ @tigger1 commented.
‘Like so many who used the blog it absolutely added to my enjoyment of and enthusiasm for Strictly,’ @bettyboop shared.
‘The fan continued: ‘I find the timing of this decision questionable, and fear the reason is to reduce/control the negative traffic regarding recent controversy.
‘I doubt that any consideration has been given to the ardent fans and regular users and ultimately licence fee payers.’
Blog user @buckie agreed: ‘I am full of questions about this and the timing. It feels like “death by a thousand cuts” and smacks of a disregard for those who have chosen for years to use the blog.
‘They seem to have no idea about how much the show is loved, and the additional pleasure the blog gives to those of us invested in the show.’
Meanwhile, @jen recalled: ‘I loved the banter that we had and the silliness that came out from time to time. I will miss the sparkly knickers and the naughty step and the Strictly parties. It was particularly good for those who had no-one else to discuss it with.
‘Shame on you, BBC. We don’t all use social media and even if we did I don’t think it would replace our blog family.’
The user’s words were echoed by @achap who added: ‘I use neither Instagram, Facebook nor TikTok. I assume the BBC is happy to pretend people like me don’t exist.’
‘Why when something works well and does no harm does it have be updated so that older people are left behind? I appreciate this won’t apply to everyone but I shall be sad to lose the Strictly blog which adds to my enjoyment of the programme,’ @jones commiserated.
As the series aired last year, weekly blog posts generated anywhere between 200 to 1600 comments, with some fans pointing out that this is proof enough that the blog still maintains popularity.
Nonetheless, Strictly is planning to capitalise on the thousands of social media fans they have gained over the years, boasting a total of 3.7million followers across the mentioned platforms.
One behind-the-scenes element that is here to stay is the spin-off show, It Takes Two, helmed by the returning Fleur East and former pro Janette Manrara, 40, who joined as presenter in 2021.
Janette praised her co-host Fleur in a new statement and said it was ‘incredible’ and she was ‘so happy’ to be returning.
She added: ‘Fleur and I are so, so, so alike. And the more we hang out and spend time together, the more we start finding things that make us similar.
‘So really, I feel like we’re just a piece of each other – literally the same. Whether you’ve got Fleur or me, you’re going to get the same kind of show because… I don’t know, we’re really similar.
‘I mean, we’re both as silly and stupid as each other. We’re both very driven, we both love what we do, and we both love Strictly.’
Strictly’s It Takes Two airs weekdays from Monday, September 23, at 6.30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
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Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
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