Vincent Simone has sympathy for Strictly Come Dancing bosses amid axings - but feels sorry for pros
Vincent Simone has reacted to the axings of professional dancers, Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.
Vincent Simone has shown some sympathy for Strictly Come Dancing bosses after they axed multiple professional dancers.
Karen Hauer, 43, Gorka Marquez, 35, Nadiya Bychkova and Luba Mushtuk, both 36, and 30-year-old Michelle Tsiakkas - who got the chop in a 30-minute online Zoom meeting - have been let go from the BBC Latin and Ballroom dance show.
And 47-year-old Vincent - who quit as a professional dancer on the programme in 2012 after six years - understands there is "no easy way" for bosses to get rid of dancers and that they are "either in the show, or you’re not".
But ultimately, the star does feel sorry for the pros, as he added to Paddy Power Games: "Some dancers have already been in a position where they didn’t always have a celebrity partner, so the transition might not be as shocking.
"But for those who had a partner every year, it’s much harder because they lose the full Strictly experience."
The axing of some professional dancers and the signing of new co-hosts, following the departure of Tess Daly, 57, and Claudia Winkleman, 54, at the end of the 2025 series in December, is giving the future of Strictly Come Dancing a complete shake-up.
And Vincent does not think the big changes will destroy the programme - which is expected to return in September.
He explained: "There are still many strong, popular professionals on the show. Even if they lose 20–30 per cent of the lineup, the core remains.
"The excitement around new hosts and new dancers will keep audiences engaged. It feels like one of the most exciting years because of all the changes."
Vincent would "happily" return to Strictly Come Dancing to grace the ballroom floor with a celebrity or scrutinise performances as a judge.
But he has ruled himself out as a co-presenter, of which many names have been tipped, including former BBC Radio 2 broadcaster Zoe Ball, 55, ex-Big Brother host Emma Willis, 50, and 53-year-old comedienne Miranda Hart.
Vincent said: "I’d love to return as a professional dancer. I still feel fit and capable. I’d also enjoy being a judge, bringing my personality and experience to the panel.
"Presenting would be more challenging for me because of the pressure and script work. But judging or dancing again would be something I’d happily do.”
His comments come after fellow former Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole, 49, criticised the "harsh" way Michelle Tsiakkas' three years on the show ended in a brutal 30-minute online Zoom meeting with an executive producer.
Speaking to Sky Vegas, Brendan - who was on Strictly Come Dancing from the start in 2004 until 2017 after the BBC did not renew his contract, citing an "editorial decision", in January 2018 - acknowledged that "the nature of exits can be brutal".
He added: "Strictly is a machine, and when they’re done, they’re done.
"I wasn’t there, but the way Michelle Tsiakkas was axed from the show does sound harsh. It’s a business decision, but it can feel deeply personal to the person on the receiving end."
