Strictly Come Dancing fan favourite Gorka Marquez is said to have told his pals that he is relieved to not be taking part in this year’s competition following its many scandals
Professional dancer Gorka Marquez has reportedly expressed his relief at not being part of Strictly Come Dancing this year amid its many scandals. The fan favourite, 35, has been part of the BBC dance competition for almost a decade but will be giving the latest series a miss.
He revealed that he’ll instead be a judge on the Spanish version of the show from September. It means he won’t be competing on the show with a celebrity partner, but plans to take part in a number of group performances near the end of the 2025 series.
However, Gorka is said to have told his pals that the timing of his exit from Strictly could not have been better. Before the latest series has even begun, there has been a drug use scandal and one star arrested on suspicion of rape.
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“Gorka loves Strictly and is so proud to be one of the longest-serving pros, but has said he’ll be relieved not to be there during another fraught series while the show and its cast are accused of toxic behaviour,” a source told the Sun.
“He’s very excited to have been part of the group dances, which were pre-recorded, and loves everyone on the show. But this is the third series where they face questions about bullying, chaperones and everything else.”
The dancer has reportedly told his friends “the timing has worked out well” and that he is looking forward to appearing on Bailando con las Estrellas.
Strictly has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent years. . Last year, professional dancer Giovanni Pernice quit after being accused of bullying by actress Amanda Abbington.
Some complaints against him were upheld but he was cleared of the most serious ones in a probe following their time working together in 2023.
In the same series, dancer Graziano Di Prima was booted off over claims of misconduct towards partner Zara McDermott during training. This year, Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans got kicked off the UK tour after being accused of making inappropriate remarks.
Last week, the Mirror revealed how celebrities taking part in the show have been joking their fees to take part amounts to “danger money”. One agent of a star on the show said: “Everyone is a little more mindful about the fact that things can blow up…and one misstep is all it takes.
“Last year Wynne Evans came under immense pressure, while the previous year Amanda Abbingdon said she had a torrid time…the phrase danger money has been bandied about.”
One source close to a contestant even claimed that when it came to negotiating fees for this series, some agents had imposed a higher minimum fee for their clients to do the show.
“It’s the most high-profile show on telly so every little thing is amplified,” one agent said. “Some celebs thrive under this pressure but others really struggle.
“A lot of the time you don’t know until they are in that environment. Some agents are becoming wary about putting their clients forward because of recent headlines.”
However, a BBC source said: “There’s been no change when it comes to booking stars for this year’s show, or the types of fees being requested or paid out.”
The Mirror has contacted Gorka’s representative for comment.
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