Thomas Skinner has once again ignited controversy after doubling down on his claim that the Strictly Come Dancing public vote was manipulated to force his early exit from the competition. Speaking candidly during an appearance on Good Morning Britain, the former Apprentice star made it clear he has no intention of backing down.
The 34-year-old, who competed in the 23rd series of the BBC dance show alongside professional partner Amy Dowden, became the first contestant to be eliminated. His departure sparked immediate debate, which has only intensified in recent weeks following a string of outspoken social media posts and interviews.
Appearing opposite presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, Skinner was pressed on whether he genuinely believes the vote was unfairly stacked against him. His response was unapologetic. “I had a lot of bad noise in the press,” he said. “I was front page every day. It wasn’t good for the show.”
While admitting he was no natural dancer, Thomas insisted his popularity told a different story. “I know I can’t dance,” he said, laughing, before praising Amy Dowden as “an absolute legend.” He then pointed to his massive online reach, claiming his social media posts regularly attract tens of millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes — figures he believes should have translated into votes.
The controversy first erupted in December when Skinner revealed he was seeking legal advice after receiving what he described as an anonymous email from a BBC executive. According to Thomas, the email suggested he had received significantly more public votes than the official figures showed — a claim he says has since been independently verified.
However, the BBC has firmly denied any wrongdoing. During the interview, Susanna Reid read an official statement stressing that Strictly Come Dancing’s public vote is independently overseen and verified each week to ensure accuracy.
Further undermining Skinner’s claims, an independent online exit poll conducted by Strictly Spoiler — involving more than 125,000 viewers — showed he received just 1.4% of the vote, the lowest of any contestant. A source at the time described the results as “clear evidence” that there was no conspiracy.
The BBC later added that despite repeated requests, Skinner has not shared the alleged email with the corporation. PromoVeritas, the independent auditing company that verifies the Strictly vote, also reiterated that all votes are thoroughly checked and validated by multiple auditors every week.
Despite the backlash, Thomas remains defiant. His Strictly journey ended with scores of 29 out of 80 across two shows, landing him in the bottom two alongside former rugby player Chris Robshaw, who was ultimately saved by the judges. Skinner later withdrew from the series finale altogether.
Away from the Strictly drama, Thomas also raised eyebrows during the interview by revealing his unexpected friendship with US Vice President JD Vance. According to Skinner, the politician reached out via social media, praising his motivational videos and eventually inviting him for a drink during a UK visit — a meeting that reportedly ended with a visit to former Prime Minister David Cameron’s home.
Whether viewed as outspoken or controversial, Thomas Skinner has ensured his Strictly exit remains one of the most talked-about moments of the series. And judging by his refusal to retreat, the debate around his claims is far from over.
