The first same-sex dance on Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC version of Dancing With The Stars, sparked nearly 200 complaints earlier this month from viewers who indicated they were offended.
The routine between professional dancers Johannes Radebe and Graziano di Prima was broadcast on November 3 as part of Strictly Come Dancing: The Results, in which a celebrity is voted off the show.
The performance compelled 189 people to register their dissatisfaction with the BBC, according to a complaints report published last week. The reason given by the BBC: “Offensive to feature two men dancing as a pair.”
The BBC is yet to feature a same-sex couple competing in the competition, but said it was proud of the routine between Radebe and di Prima. A spokesman said: “Strictly Come Dancing is an inclusive show and is proud to have been able to facilitate the dance between Johannes and Graziano during the professionals’ dance. They are dancers first and foremost, and their sex had no bearing on their routine.”
It is not unusual for a BBC show to receive more than 100 complaints. Over the two-week period covered by the BBC report, an episode of topical debate show Question Time drew the most complaints. Some 1,057 people contacted the BBC to correct an error it made about Brexit campaign group Vote Leave after presenter Fiona Bruce incorrectly said it had not broken election spending laws.