Strictly Come Dancing is a matter of weeks away from unveiling which "lucky" famous faces will be trying their luck in the ballroom in a series marred by controversy.
In case fans have been living under a glitter-covered rock in recent months, the entire BBC show has found itself at the centre of "bullying", "misconduct" and "abuse" storms following complaints by former contestants.
The most notable complaints have come from 2023 competitors Zara McDermott and Amanda Abbington, the latter of which returned to screens this week with more bombshell allegations about former dance partner Giovanni Pernice.
From "humiliating" instances of bullying "of a sexual nature" to the "blocking" of "50 hours" of incriminating footage, Pernice was on the receiving end of some incredibly serious allegations when Abbington sat down with Channel 4 this past week.
Pernice has vehemently denied all of Abbington's latest claims as well as any suggestion of "abusive or threatening" behaviour, and has reiterated he is waiting until the current investigation taking place at the BBC is finished before speaking publicly.
Meanwhile, McDermott's former pro partner Di Prima is reportedly escaping the spotlight in his native Italy after being booted off the show for kicking the Love Island star in rehearsals.
Amanda Abbington made fresh bombshell claims in a new interview with Channel 4Channel 4Inevitably, the dominoes began to tumble and within the past few weeks, the likes of Anton Du Beke, Janette Manrara and several others have been dragged into rows over their conduct on the show.
It's all become rather chaotic and insidious as more and more headlines emerge. However, it hasn't stopped the current crop of professionals returning to work - alongside their newly-appointed chaperones, of course.
And they'll need all the practice they can get as the 20th-anniversary series promises to be one of the most scrutinised in history - and the cast of new celebrity competitors know it.
The line-up is still under wraps for now but the likes of Nick Knowles, Pete Wicks and Hannah Waddingham have all emerged as three of the big names the BBC has set its sights on to restore the show's tarnished reputation.
DIY SOS star Nick Knowles is understood to be taking part in this year's show despite the ongoing BBC Strictly scandalBBCAnd to be fair, they're great choices. Knowles is a BBC darling albeit rather vanilla, Waddingham is hugely popular across the globe thanks to her Ted Lasso stint, and Wicks is a down-to-earth heart-throb who - despite the odd shouting match on TOWIE - is a reality star who's managed to escape any scandal.
But there are still plenty of slots to fill and the rumoured names have sparked serious debate - and one name that is being bandied around should almost certainly be put to one side by bosses.
That name is Phillip Schofield. The man who's been rumoured for a reality TV stint ever since he left ITV's offices last May following his "unwise but not illegal" affair scandal at This Morning.
The 62-year-old has been making steady returns to the public eye via his Instagram posts and in the build-up to Strictly, he's emerging in bookmakers' markets to take part in the dance contest.
Last year, The Sun reported bosses had taken a more "aggressive" approach to try and land him as a contestant and with reports he's plotting a TV comeback, he could feel the ballroom may beckon.
An insider claimed at the time: "They would love to have him on board because of the publicity it would generate for the show. Phil has been asked before but this time the offer was more aggressive."
GB News has heard from a number of bookmakers about the likelihood of Schofield appearing in front of Shirley Ballas and co and none of them were willing to rule the possibility out.
Gambling.com entertainment expert James Leyfield said: "(Holly Willoughby) is 5/1 to (take part), and her former This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield - who has kept a low profile since he quit the brunchtime show in May 2023, after he admitted to lying about an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a younger male colleague - is just 6/1 to don his Strictly dancing shoes."
And back in May, William Hill spokesperson, Lee Phelps, also mentioned: "Some of British showbiz’s biggest names are among those rumoured to be set to don their dancing shoes later this year, with Zara Tindall, Phillip Schofield, Louis Theroux and Brooklyn Beckham just a few who could take to the Strictly floor in 2024."
His odds currently stand at 6/1, according to Leyfield, making him more likely to appear than the likes of daytime TV stalwarts Rylan Clark, Gino D'Acampo and Perri Kiely.
However, employing Schofield - while undoubtedly a major hire - would be the worst move imaginable for a series desperate to return some semblance of light-hearted family fun.
The former This Morning star has never been convicted of any illegal activity but that no longer bears relevance in today's age of trial by social media.
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Phillip Schofield is one of many celebrities being tipped to star in this year's Strictly
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Schofield's appointment would bring with it yet another dark cloud over 20th-anniversary celebrations that the Beeb hope will bring with it sunnier days.
Whether that's fair or not is up for debate given Schofield has owned up to his mistakes and never been found guilty of any offence, but the BBC can't afford to run the risk.
If he were to compete it would undoubtedly draw attention away from the current scandals engulfing the show but would in itself create a bigger headache no amount of Neurofen would be capable of curing.
While big names with a squeaky-clean public perception may be a rarity nowadays, they're the only stars the Beeb must go for if there is any hope of seeing Strictly live on beyond its 20th birthday.
