Strictly Come Dancing star Thomas Skinner The BBC has dismissed allegations made by former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Thomas Skinner about his time on the show. Controversy has surrounded the ex- Apprentice candidate ever since it was confirmed that he’d be on the cast of this year’s Strictly, largely due to past comments he’s made publicly, including the suggestion that London doesn’t “feel like London” anymore , accusations that protestors have “torn communities apart” , his past praise for the US president Donald Trump and having posed for a picture with vice president JD Vance . As the beginning of the series approached, Thomas continued to face backlash after he stormed out of this year’s Strictly press launch , and the furore continued days later due to the revelation that he had been unfaithful to his wife in the early stages of their marriage . In the end, he was the first star to be eliminated from the series, after failing to impress the judges and viewers with his dance abilities, and in a post shortly after his elimination, he admitted that he regrets taking part at all . Thomas then declined the customary invitation to perform in the Strictly final with the rest of the cast, for what was originally said in the press to be a scheduling issue. However, in a lengthy post shared on X over the weekend , Thomas hit out at the show and explained his reasoning for not showing up to the final. Thomas Skinner and his Strictly Come Dancing professional partner Amy Dowden “As most of you will have seen in the papers, I won’t be at the final of Strictly Come Dancing tonight,” he said on Saturday morning, claiming that he made sure his professional partner Amy Dowden was happy with his decision before announcing it publicly. He wrote: “When I got given the opportunity to do Strictly back in April, I was buzzing. Not because I can dance… I can’t. But because I really wanted to test myself and learn something completely out of my comfort zone. “On the night I left the show, I received an anonymous email claiming to be from a BBC exec with stats, saying I’d received far more votes than it appeared and it wasn’t right. I’ve since had the email independently verified.” Thomas then alleged that this same email “mentioned the BBC was very angry” and “nervous” over his past encounter with JD Vance, insisting that he’s “not a political bloke” but is simply “patriotic”. “I’ve been made out by the press to be this political figure,” he said. “If anyone was to get an opportunity like what I did, they would have taken it. I still think it is mad that a man like me who sells mattresses out of a van can call someone that senior in the world’s politics a friend now.” Thomas Skinner on the Strictly dance floor earlier this year He continued: “I have asked to see the official voting figures to back up the ones I was sent in the email but was told they couldn’t be shown to [me, and that they] have never been shown in the history of the show. “I have [spoken] about the email I had received to senior people and the BBC welfare team, who [by the way] I genuinely respect. And they [were] the ones who advised me to get legal advice because of how unfair it all was. This was not my idea. “There were also smaller things that added to the feeling. Everyone received a welcome gift on the show… skincare bits, face masks, that sort of thing. Mine was the only one that ‘got stolen’ apparently. On its own, it’s nothing… but added to everything else, it felt strange. “I have been made out to be someone I actually am not simply because I took part in this show. The views were formed from media stories over the summer that simply wasn’t true or exaggerated. It ain’t fair what has happened to me and my family.” Thomas then appeared to draw a link between this alleged email and the departures of both BBC director-general Tim Davie and Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman . “I’m not saying that had anything to do with me,” he said of Davie’s exit. “But it did feel bizarre.” He added: “It’s just all very coincidental. I’m just being honest.” Referring to reports in the tabloid press that he was taking legal action against the BBC, Thomas insisted that he “didn’t want any of this in the press either”. See Thomas’ post in full for yourself below: As most of you will have seen in the papers, I won’t be at the final of Strictly Come Dancing tonight. First thing I wanna say is this…. I spoke with my lovely dance partner, Amy Dowden to make sure she was okay with me not attending. She’s a good person and a good friend now,… — Thomas Skinner ⚒ (@iamtomskinner) December 20, 2025 By way of response, the BBC insisted to HuffPost UK: “Strictly Come Dancing’s public vote is independently overseen and verified to ensure complete accuracy every week. Any claims to the contrary are entirely without foundation. “Unfortunately, despite requests for it, Mr Skinner is yet to share the email he references with anyone from the BBC so we are unable to comment on it.” Responding specifically to Thomas’ allegation about his “welcome gift” being “stolen”, they added: “ The Strictly Come Dancing production team categorically did not supply ‘welcome gifts’ to any of the cast.” HuffPost UK has learned that, as of Saturday, the BBC was not aware of any official legal complaint regarding Thomas’ time on Strictly, while a rep for the independent company PromoVeritas – which oversees Strictly’s voting – noted: “ All votes are independently and comprehensively verified by two auditors. “We can confirm that all votes received are validated. This has been the case every week and we have reported no issues with the public vote or how it is being represented in the final results.” Thomas will next be seen on our screens in the upcoming celebrity special of The Apprentice, which will air on the BBC between Christmas and New Year. MORE STRICTLY: Thomas Skinner Explains Why He Wishes He'd 'Never Done' Strictly Come Dancing Amanda Holden Sets The Record Straight On Strictly Come Dancing Hosting Rumours BBC Addresses Claims Amber Davies' Strictly Charleston Included 'Copied' Moves