Pasha Kovalev optimistic about future of Strictly if BBC re-establish rules

By Ellie Iorizzo, PA Los Angeles Correspondent

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Pasha Kovalev said BBC bosses need to regulate rules in order to save the series, amid controversy over the alleged treatment of contestants.

The Russian dancer, who joined the the BBC flagship show in 2011 before leaving in 2018, said he was “very upset” to hear allegations made about the show.

“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,” the 44-year-old told the Mirror newspaper.

“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.”

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.

Pernice denies the allegations, while fellow Italian dancer Graziano Di Prima has also left the show.

Kovalev, who lifted the glitterball trophy in 2014 with late TV presenter Caroline Flack and placed second alongside Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts in 2018, said there are “no excuses” for bad behaviour regardless of “the pressure you are under or the atmosphere you are in”.

However, he said he is optimistic the show will continue after this years 20th anniversary.

“There is no reason to have a break, in spite of all this controversy and ­discussions lately,” he said.

“It needs to be addressed, to be fixed, people need to be listened to for a proper creative, celebratory atmosphere.”

Kovalev added: “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.”

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. In November 2021 she gave birth to their second daughter, Noa, following the birth of Maven in 2019.

Kovalev’s comments come after the 2024 Strictly line-up was revealed, which welcomes the show’s first blind contestant, Morning Live stars, Olympic champions and soap actors.