They naturally wanted to welcome him to the Strictly family…

Gorka Marquez, Amy Dowden and Shirley Ballas have come under fire after showing support for controversial Strictly contestant Thomas Skinner.

The upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing is already embroiled in controversy following the announcement that former The Apprentice contestant Thomas Skinner is joining the 2025 line-up.

And now, some of the show’s biggest stars are facing backlash after publicly showing support for the divisive new addition.


Strictly fans have hit out at stars for supporting Thomas Skinner’s casting in the upcoming series (Credit: Cover Images)

Strictly stars criticised for supporting new contestant Thomas Skinner

Professional dancers Amy Dowden and Gorka Marquez, along with Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas, have all commented on the BBC’s official announcement on Instagram, and fans are not happy.

Amy Dowden, who could potentially be paired with the reality TV businessman, commented “Welcome” on the post.

But her message didn’t go down well with everyone. One user quickly responded: “Don’t see this as a good thing for Strictly.”

Shirley Ballas also chimed in with a simple “welcome”, prompting a wave of disappointment among followers.

“It’s very sad to see the dancers who we’ve followed and loved supporting far-right politics. I guess Strictly is a pretty big pay packet,” one user wrote. Another added: “No, Shirley. Disappointing from you and @bbcstrictly.”

“You’ve worked with LGBTQ+ people your whole life, and you support this??? Disgusting,” a third critic agreed.

Gorka Marquez didn’t escape the backlash either. The fan-favourite dancer replied to the announcement with three clapping hand emojis, a gesture that left many fans stunned. “Not you too,” one user wrote. Another fumed: “You’re an embarrassment supporting him.”


Strictly pro Amy Dowden is among the stars who have been bashed for showing their support (Credit: ITV)

Thomas Skinner joins Strictly 2025

The online outrage comes after long-time Strictly fans urged the BBC to reconsider Skinner’s involvement in the show, citing his controversial social media history.

The businessman is known for his unfiltered posts on Twitter, where he shares his political opinions, business advice and personal philosophies.

His outspoken nature has earned him a loyal following and a surprising friendship with US Vice President and Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance.

Following his casting announcement, fans took to social media to criticise the BBC for its decision. “A Trump supporter? This is a horrendous decision,” one fan fumed. “They really have reached the bottom of the barrel,” another echoed.

Thomas, meanwhile, has hit back. “I’m not right-wing. People are like sheep and just started saying it because I got invited to go to BBQ with JD Vance and I posted a picture with him. Who is gonna turn down an opportunity to meet the 2nd most powerful man in the world?”

Good morning you lovely people!! Big day today! It’s the first day filming for Strictly! Buzzing for it, proud as anything, but the reason I’m up and out the door at 2.30am is because I’ve got to get all my normal work done beforehand!

I have had so much love on here btw, just…

— Thomas Skinner ⚒ (@iamtomskinner) August 15, 2025

Strictly’s class of 2025

Meanwhile, the rest of the Strictly 2025 line-up features a mix of athletes, actors and reality stars.

Other confirmed contestants include Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Love Island winner Dani Dyer, ER and Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston, football legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK runner-up La Voix, TikTok star George Clarke, Geordie Shore alum Vicky Pattison, Lorraine star Ross King, footballer Karen Carney, Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn, Neighbours star Stefan Dennis, EastEnders’ actress Balvinder Sopal, model and actress Ellie Goldstein, and rugby legend Chris Robshaw.

Despite the backlash, the BBC appears to be standing by its casting decisions.