Former Strictly Come Dancing star Pasha Kovalev has said the BBC needs to re-establish workplace behaviour rules in order to save the series, amid controversy over the alleged treatment of contestants.
The Russian dancer, who joined the BBC show in 2011 before leaving in 2018, suggested there were “one or two bad apples” that would need to be “dealt with”.
Kovalev, who lifted the glitterball trophy in 2014 with the late TV presenter Caroline Flack and came second alongside Ashley Roberts, the Pussycat Dolls star, in 2018, said there are “no excuses” for bad behaviour, regardless of “the pressure you are under or the atmosphere you are in”.
The results of an investigation, launched by the BBC following allegations made about Italian professional dancer Giovanni Pernice by former participant Amanda Abbington, have not yet been published by the corporation.
“The rules need to be regulated, or revisited, and the atmosphere should be re-established where people are trusting one another, people are positive and working together to create a better show – delivering a better product, and entertaining people,” Kovalev told the Daily Mirror.
He added: “I never experienced anything of the sort during my time on Strictly or witnessed anyone else going through it, because I’d have definitely intervened.
“I guess in every office in the country you’d have one or two bad apples, and when it comes to it, it needs to be dealt with.”
However, he said he is optimistic the show will continue after this year’s 20th anniversary.
“There is no reason to have a break, in spite of all this controversy,” he said.
“It needs to be addressed, to be fixed, [and] people need to be listened to for a proper creative, celebratory atmosphere.”
The professional dancer met his future wife, Countdown star Rachel Riley, when they were paired on the 11th series of the dancing contest.
The couple married in Las Vegas in 2019, following Riley’s divorce from Jamie Gilbert in 2013. They have two children together.
Kovalev’s comments come after the 2024 Strictly line-up was revealed, which includes the show’s first blind contestant, Olympic athletes and soap actors.
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