Strictly Come Dancing bosses ‘meet with US stars for fresh faces’

Strictly Come Dancing bosses are reportedly on the hunt for fresh talent after axing several veteran professional dancers – with one rising star already ‘catching their eye’. 

BBC fans have been left stunned in recent weeks as favourites Nadiya, 36, Karen Hauer, 43, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Gorka Marquez, 35, have all been given the boot. 

Now, sources have claimed that producers are looking to bring in new international talent to shake up the show.

They are said to have held talks with US dancer D’Angelo Castro after he impressed bosses during a recent visit to the UK. 

The 25-year-old has previously appeared on the American version of the show, Dancing With The Stars, and has built a strong following on social media. 

A source told The Sun on Sunday: ‘Strictly bosses are on the lookout for fresh faces and love the look of D’angelo, he ticks all the boxes. They hope he could be the new Giovanni Pernice.’ 

The professional dancer, 35, left the show after his former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington made numerous complaints about his behaviour and has since joined and won the cast of the Italian version of the show, Ballando Con Le Stelle.  

Daily Mail has contacted the BBC for comment. 

It comes after Strictly’s longest-serving professional Karen Hauer branded her axing from the show ‘stressful and emotional’.

The dancer, 43, who was on the show for 13 years, shared an emotional video where she revealed she was choosing to step away from the show to focus on other ventures.

She began to cry as she recalled her pride at ‘a young girl from the Bronx’ going on to be the show’s longest-serving female professional.

Karen’s last celebrity partner on the series was Gladiator star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, while the year before she danced with former footballer Paul Merson and, in 2023, comedian Eddie Kadi.

She showcased her versatility as a choreographer by performing with comic Jayde Adams in 2022, following on from Katya Jones, who was the first Strictly female pro to perform in a same-sex pairing.

Other celebrity partners Karen has performed with include Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer and TOWIE’s Mark Wright, one of the first reality stars signed to the show.

Despite her long-standing commitment, Karen has never won the Strictly glitterball trophy, though she did reach the final with Mark Wright in 2014.

It comes after sources claimed that Strictly bosses judge some pros’ following on TikTok when deciding which stars would be axed in the show’s mass cull.

Sources claimed last month that bosses have chosen to keep pros with a bigger online following in a desperate bid to draw in younger viewers. 

It was previously claimed that those with bigger online followings have been chosen over dancers who are not so TikTok-friendly as the series tries desperately to attract a younger audience.

One example appears to be axed Nadiya, who boasts 19,000 followers, while Dianne Buswell, also 36, with 966,000 followers, has kept her place in the line-up.

Karen, who was Strictly’s longest-serving female dancer, is a similar story with her 9,000 followers, while safe newcomer Alexis Warr, 25, has a whopping 190,000.

A source said: ‘Strictly is always looking for ways to increase its audience in terms of volume, but also in terms of attracting new, young viewers.

They told The Sun: ‘Social media is a massive part of broadening that appeal, and TikTok is the perfect medium for a show where music and dance is at the forefront. 

‘They won’t simply lose someone from the line up because they aren’t big on TikTok, but it might just be the thing that saves them from exiting the line-up.’

Meanwhile, Fleur East and Janette Manrara have also reportedly been axed from Strictly Come Dancing’s spin-off, It Takes Two.

Insiders say bosses are plotting a major revamp of the BBC Two weeknight show in the wake of a string of scandals that have rocked the franchise.

Former Strictly pro Janette, 42, took over hosting duties in 2021 after eight years on the main show, while pop star Fleur, 38, joined the line-up in 2023 after reaching the final the year before. 

But now both stars are said to be in the firing line as executives push for a bold new direction.

‘Fans will be stunned that this bloodbath is continuing, but bosses are determined to overhaul the show completely,’ an industry source told The Sun.

‘Nobody feels safe right now and there’s a real drive behind the scenes to usher in a fresh era after all the recent drama.

‘But the priority is a clean slate by September and putting distance between the show and the controversies of recent years.’

The source added actions taken by BBC bosses do not mean Janette and Fleur ‘are out of the picture entirely’, and that there could be other roles for them ‘elsewhere’.

Sources suggest bosses are aiming for an entirely fresh start following years of criticism and controversy surrounding the professional dancers.

Elsewhere, Neil Jones, 43, who has rarely had a celebrity dance partner on the show, will also go without one this year, as will Nancy Xu, 34.

It’s believed they may still appear in the big group dance numbers.