BBC boss dragged into Strictly bullying row

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

- Mark Jefferies, Tom Bryant

The corporation's annual report is due tomorrow and the Strictly crisis is certain to be raised when the director-general faces the media.

A picture of Strictly was used in last year's report and the show is regularly heralded by bosses as one of the BBC's crown jewels it won the Entertainment Programme Bafta just two months ago.

But the family-friendly image that made it so popular for two decades has been hit by a string of allegations.

Pro dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima will not return for the new series and the BBC is still to reveal the results of a probe into complaints from celebrity contestants.

It is claimed that some male pros have mistreated the stars during training, pushing them too hard and even abusing them, while one female dancer has been accused of "bullying" an unnamed male celebrity.