Strictly’s Tom Dean got “slap on the wrist” after letting slip line-up news early

Strictly’s Tom Dean got “slap on the wrist” after letting slip line-up news early

As an ardent fan of Strictly Come Dancing, I find Tom Dean‘s journey to be nothing short of inspiring. A man who has already conquered the Olympic pool now embarks on another challenge – mastering the dance floor! His candid admission about his participation might have caused a few ripples, but it only adds to his charm.


Typically, when you join Strictly Come Dancing, it’s customary to keep it a secret until the official announcement. But this season, one well-known figure inadvertently spilled the beans prematurely.

Prior to the formal announcement of castings, Tom Dean, who assisted Team GB in retaining their men’s 4x200m freestyle title at the Paris Olympics, disclosed that he would be participating in an interview a week earlier.

Given that he completed an entire Olympic cycle, it’s only natural for him to need a rest when the chance presented itself,” he commented about the show. “I found the idea of attempting something new and exciting quite appealing.” Time for some suspense!

Initially unverified by the BBC, the swimmer later turned out to be included in the team along with celebrities such as Jamie Borthwick from EastEnders, reality TV personality Pete Wicks, and Sarah Hadland from Miranda.

After being let go from my job, I wasn’t entirely focused or prepared for the conversation ahead. This led to a minor verbal mistake.

Strictly’s Tom Dean got “slap on the wrist” after letting slip line-up news early

After wrapping up that interview, I found myself reflecting on my words, and I had to share my concern with one of my mentors: “It seems I may have made a blunder.

Yet, it appeared that show managers were not overly concerned since Tom mentioned it was merely a “light reprimand” or “minor punishment”.

In my experience as a film critic, when faced with a barrage of queries, I often find solace in disconnecting from the digital world. Just like the enigmatic protagonist in the latest flick, I too, chose to switch off my phone and steer clear of the relentless noise, creating a momentary bubble of tranquility amidst the chaos.

During important gatherings, I usually turn off my phone. So, in this case, I said something like, ‘Let’s turn it off for now. Right now, I need to focus on my tasks; we can deal with that later.’

There is just one week to go before the celebrities take to the dance floor and meet their professional partners and so far, Tom has found it fairly “intense”.

He explained, “It’s much more enjoyable. The Olympics are quite serious, but this is all about a large team collaboration right now. It’s fun, and you’re not just working with your partner, but you’re actually dancing together.

“My coach doesn’t dive in and swim with me so [it’s] a little bit different.”

Viewers will have to tune in next weekend to see if Tom can put his training to the test!

The Strictly Come Dancing 2024 launch show will air on Saturday 14th September at 7:20pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. 

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2024-09-09 09:33