Strictly Come Dancing ‘receives over 100 complaints for Priscilla performance after making history with show’s first ever drag dance’
Strictly Come Dancing has reportedly received over 100 complaints after making history with their first ever drag performance.
On Saturday pros Johannes Radebe, Gorka Marquez and Giovanni Pernice delighted viewers by donning wigs and high heels for a medley of hits from Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.
Pro Anton Du Beke also hit out against the negative response to the group performance on Monday, branding the backlash a ‘shame.’
Controversy: Strictly Come Dancing has reportedly received over 100 complaints after making history with their first ever drag performance
According to The Sun, many viewers complained to the BBC following Strictly’s groundbreaking drag performance, meaning the network will have to issue a public response.
It’s thought Ofcom have also received a small number of complaints following the groundbreaking performance.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Strictly Come Dancing and Ofcom for comment.
Shocking: On Saturday pros Johannes Radebe, Gorka Marquez and Giovanni Pernice delighted viewers by donning wigs and high heels for a medley of hits from Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
Outrage: However it’s been claimed viewers have complained to the BBC and media watchdog Ofcom following the performance
Over the weekend, viewers shared their mixed response to the performance on social media, with some hailing the dance as ‘fabulous,’ while others insisted that the dance was ‘confusing their grandchildren.’
On Monday pro Anton addressed the criticism, saying on Steph’s Packed Lunch: ‘I don’t know. It’s silly really and it’s a shame.
‘It is a movie and this wasn’t just camp time, we weren’t just frocking up for sake of it – it is the movie Priscilla and if you’ve seen the movie you’ll know what it’s all about… I thought they did a great job of it.’
Upsetting: Pro Anton Du Beke also hit out against the negative response to the group performance on Monday, branding the backlash a ‘shame.
Steph furthered the conversation by saying: ‘It’s hard though, when you’re getting trolls who send horrible things to you…’
‘Don’t read it,’ Anton replied. ‘Easiest thing is don’t read it. It’s the easiest thing to do in the world is to tap away – don’t like you very much – bosh. Just don’t read it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m absolutely marvellous, I don’t need to know the truth.
‘I do care what people say as we’re in showbusiness and it’s the worst thing. If I have a room of 2,000 people in an audience, I’m concerned about the one person there who doesn’t seem to be laughing at everything I say or clapping every time I dance…it ruins it for myself.
‘You have to do the best you can, perform the best you can and forget about the trolls…They know it’s so damaging because we talk about it so much, and it’s one of those things you can’t say ‘we can’t talk about it’ because we’ve got to highlight it, and it’s easy to say ‘don’t read it’ as it doesn’t really help but…avoid reading it.’
Divided: Viewers shared their mixed response to the performance on social media, with some hailing it as ‘fabulous,’ while others insisted that the dance was ‘confusing their grandchildren’
Iconic! On Sunday Johannes – who took centre stage in the drag dance – praised his fellow pros for embracing the larger-then-life characters
On Sunday Johannes – who took centre stage in the drag dance – praised his fellow pros for embracing the larger-then-life characters as he shared behind-the-scenes snaps from the performance.
In the post, he wrote: ‘I work with a fab bunch of people but I wanted to shout-out to these two for shamelessly putting the motion in every single part, fierce enough to strut their stuff…
‘We appreciate you @gorka_marquez & @giovannipernice1 and as for partner @aljazskorjanec thank you darling.’
Gorka and Giovanni also shared a closer look at their make-up and colourful outfits, as the former declared his drag name was ‘Miss G’ and the Italian dancer named himself Taramisu.
Wow! He shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the sparkling looks from the dazzling group number