BBC Strictly fans outraged as full list of partnerships is LEAKED hours before launch: 'Gutted!'
BBC
The BBC dance competition kicks off on Saturday night
Several Strictly Come Dancing fans who are gearing up for another year of glitz and glam from the ballroom have been left furious to see the full list of pairings from the 2024 series leak online.
As is typical in the world of Strictly, the identities of the couplings comprising the 15 celebs and their pro dance partners are normally kept under wraps until the launch show.
Over the past few weeks, eagle-eyed online sleuths have been trying to figure out who is partnered with who, with the likes of Katya Jones and her celeb partner as well as Nick Knowles and his pro mentor supposedly being rumbled before the launch.
But now, less than 24 hours before the launch show airs on the BBC, the full list of couplings has been published on social media.
All 15 couples have been identified by an X account that goes by "The Strictly Spoiler" which claims to have had a "mole" in the audience of the pre-recorded launch show.
The same account has hit headlines over the past few years for publishing the results of the Sunday shows before they air as they're recorded shortly after the Saturday live programmes.
BBC Strictly 2024: This year's pro line-up
BBCGB News won't be naming any of the pairings but it's safe to say several fans are not happy with the leaked list and who BBC bosses have opted to pair with who.
One fan fumed: "Gutted that [NAME REMOVED] and [NAME REMOVED] aren't partnered up, my two favourite male dancers!"
A second hit out: "For the love of God, will they please give [NAME REMOVED] someone decent? Do the producers hate her or what?"
The same dancer was referenced in another person's post who raged: "Poor [NAME REMOVED] has come 12th 3 years in a row and they've gave her someone rubbish again (i like [NAME REMOVED] but let's face it, he's not gonna be good)."
Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola were crowned last year's BBC Strictly winners
BBC"Oh, what a shame," a fourth disappointed fan typed. "I really really wanted [NAME REMOVED] to be with [NAME REMOVED]!!!!!"
And another hit out at the Beeb: "Why does [NAME REMOVED] always get shafted. most loyal one and yet again given a duffer." (sic)
In 2022, the man dubbed the Strictly 'super leaker' defended his decision to leak the results ahead of Sunday's results show after receiving criticism from the BBC show.
But he took aim at the BBC itself when publicly explaining why he published the leaked results online.
He told the Daily Mail: "I'm just providing a service and am not spoiling anyone's enjoyment.
"I don't put the results for everyone to see and they have to search for my site to find out the results.
"There is an appetite from people who want to know the results before Sunday.
"It could be argued that the BBC is to blame for recording something which is of massive interest the day before."
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But his actions and defence for the leaks were slammed in 2023 by one of the Strictly judges.
Anton Du Beke told Metro last year when asked about spoilers leaking online: "That irritates me. I get irritated. I hate anybody who’s a spoiler.
"I can only think they take great pleasure from it and I just want to say grow up. Don’t spoil it for other people.
"Everybody knows what the show is. It’s a live show where people at home vote for who they want to keep in, and then we do the results show afterward, and then on the following evening, the results show is aired and then we see who’s been voted off.
"It’s not necessary for anybody to tell people the results of that show before they happen, because it’s only tomorrow night – it’s not next week."
For fans who don't want to know the identities of the couples ahead of the launch, all will be revealed on Saturday evening.