Exclusive: Strictly set to be ‘bigger and better than ever’ for 2025

Strictly Come Dancing makes headlines every year but last year saw the BBC One programme embroiled in an unprecedented amount of drama.

But despite the internal investigations and public apologies, one person from the cast is sure that this next year is going to be “bigger and better than ever.”

Professional on the show, Gorka Marquez, 34, caught up with HELLO! about the upcoming series whilst at the Socceraid 2025 training camp in Tring.

“I feel like this year will be bigger and better than ever, Strictly is always bigger than ever, every year we make it bigger and better.”

“I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know much because everything is kept so secret. People think: ‘No, I don’t believe you, you know everything.’ I don’t read [the rumoured lineup] I just don’t read it.

“I don’t even have time to read a book I have two children, a new dog, a wife, a lot of work, a goldendoodle named Benji and you know what, I don’t want to read anything because I like the surprise. So the only time that I read about the cast is when they’ve been announced.”

Adding: “I go to Google or Wikipedia to find out about them,  because I’m not English. I remember the first year, I didn’t know anybody. I was like: ‘I don’t know who these people are. I’m Spanish and I watch Spanish at home.”

Strictly scandals 

The latest Strictly scandal saw former contestant Wynne Evans dropped by the BBC after he found himself in hot water during his time on last year’s series of the ballroom show. 

The opera singer was seen moving his hand down to his partner Katya Jones’ waist, with the star moving it away, but it was later dismissed by the partners as a joke between them.

© Instagram

Wynne and Katya were subsequently invited to compete on the Strictly Live Tour. However, Wynne was dropped from the tour following a sexual remark reportedly made towards Janette Manrara backstage.

Since then, Wynne revealed on social media he has subsequently been dropped by the Beeb. 

© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

“It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract so I won’t be returning to my radio show,” he said in a lengthy post on Instagram.

Other scandals to rock the show were the respective departures of Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima after footage of them with their respective partners Amanda Abbington and Zara McDermott was released.