Strictly Come Dancing star arrested on suspicion of rape after BBC event won’t face criminal charges
Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter The investigation into a Strictly Come Dancing star, who was arrested on suspicion of rape, has been shut down, police have said.A man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was taken into custody in October 2025 over an alleged incident said to have occurred after a BBC event in 2024. However, Hertfordshire Police will not bring criminal charges against the person due to “insufficient evidence”.“Early advice was sought from the Crown Prosecution Service, but detectives determined that there was insufficient evidence to bring forward criminal charges,” they said. The Independent has contacted the BBC for comment.The alleged victim was reportedly not a contestant nor a professional dancer.A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police confirmed the arrest in November, telling The Independent: “A man was released on police bail under investigation having been arrested in London on Monday 13 October on suspicion of rape.“The allegations relate to an incident which happened in Hertfordshire during 2024.“Meanwhile, inquiries by officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Public Protection team will continue. Given the nature of the allegations, it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this time.”The investigation was launched after another anonymous male who once worked on the BBC competition was questioned by police “over allegations of non-consensual intimate image abuse”. Rape investigation into ‘Strictly’ star closed down due to ‘insufficient evidence’ (BBC)Strictly has been rocked by repeated scandals and controversies in the past few years.Professional dancer Giovanni Pernice was investigated for his behaviour towards one of the show’s celebrity contestants, Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, after she said she accused him of “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” in September 2023.A BBC review found no evidence of physical aggression, but upheld accusations of swearing and giving negative feedback.In July 2024, pro dancer Graziano Di Prima was also dropped from the show after allegations about his behaviour towards Love Island star Zara McDermott.The 2024 series was thrown into controversy due to the conduct of opera singer Wynne Evans, who apologised for “inappropriate and unacceptable” remarks made during the Strictly live tour.Months later, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick was suspended from the BBC after he was accused of using an offensive term towards people with disabilities during his time on the programme. He apologised and said the terminology was “entirely unacceptable”.Strictly implemented new rules in an effort to prevent further issues, including adopting chaperones during training sessions. Welfare producers were also added to the team, and training was provided for dancers, the production team, and crew.
