Glitterfall

BBC boss Davie to get dragged into Strictly row over abuse claims

- MARK JEFFERIES

BBC director general Tim Davie is to be dragged into the Strictly Come Dancing row as the show faces an uncertain future.

The corporation's annual report comes out tomorrow and the crisis is certain to be raised in the media Q&A session with the boss later.

In last year's report, a picture of Strictly was used on page 47 and the show is regularly heralded by bosses as one of the jewels in the BBC's crown, winning the Entertainment Programme BAFTA just two months ago.

But the series is now deep in crisis as to how it moves forward and keeps the family-friendly image that has made it so popular for two decades.

Two of the professional dancers are not returning for the new series Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, who admitted kicking his partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals last year. And the BBC is still to reveal the results of its probe into the show following complaints from celebrities.