Strictly Come Dancing contestant Thomas Skinner stormed out of an interview during a press day for the show. The Apprentice star was being interviewed by journalists at BBC’s Elstree Studios before he got up and left the room.
Thomas told reporters “I’m not doing this” and in a first for a Strictly contestant, he grabbed the reporter’s phone while they asked him to stop. It comes just hours after Thomas told his followers on X he “can’t be bought” and “won’t say things just to keep people happy”, reports The Mirror.
The 34-year-old has been a controversial signing for this year’s series of the hit BBC dancing show. The dad-of-three has drawn strong criticism for several of his social media posts.
While Thomas is happy to chat online, it seems he is less keen to have a conversation with reporters in real life. He wasn’t best pleased when he realised the reporter was recording the interview during the Strictly Come Dancing press day.
He had arrived at the table alongside fellow contestant, former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank, who was left to do the interviews alone. An insider in attendance told The Mirror: “He walked to the table with his head down, he sat down, grabbed one of the reporters phones, who told him to stop.” They added: “It was a shock. His reaction came out of nowhere.”
Another source told The Mirror: “It was totally out of the blue. He was absolutely fine during the first interview. In good spirits and delighted and surprised to be there. Like a competition winner.”
BBC bosses are reportedly discussing the important question as to whether he should remain on the show, while organisers of the event were furious.
A female journalist had asked Thomas what had motivated him to sign up for Strictly. When the reality TV star realised he was being recorded on a phone, he asked: “What’s that?”
He then picked up the woman’s phone and took it from the table. The journalist responded, asking: “What are you doing, can you answer the question, we have only got three minutes. I’m just recording him.”
Thomas posted a message to his followers on X this morning ahead of the press day commencing. He wrote: “I cannot be bought. I won’t say things just to keep people happy like others do.
“I am not a weathercock who changes opinions to gain clout like others you see online or social media. I’ll say what I believe in, even when it’s not easy. Because that’s what we need more of in today’s world.”
Thomas’ antics come just hours on from BBC director-general Tim Davie who defended the decision to cast former The Apprentice contestant in the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Speaking to MPs from the Culture, Media and Sport committee, Mr Davie said: “That was not my decision, that was the production team looking for those people … who want to do Strictly, and those people they thought would be interesting to the audience.”
The 58-year-old added: “Clearly, we wouldn’t take anyone whose views are just beyond the pale, or we would see as completely unacceptable or not suitable, racist views, all those things, we wouldn’t accept them. But that’s not the case here, from what I know, I’m not an expert on the individual, per se.”