Anton Du Beke attends the red carpet launch for ‘Strictly Come Dancing 2018’ at Old Broadcasting House on August 27, 2018 in London, England. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Strictly Come Dancing finalist Anton du Beke has sought to clarify that professional dancers are not the ones stonewalling same-sex coupes on the show.
Ahead of the show’s final, the dancer argued that it is up to the public to ultimately persuade producers as for the professional dancers, a partner is just a partner regardless of gender identity.
This comes a few weeks after the show did make a leap in representation by featuring a same-sex non-competing couple dance last month, moving viewers and judges to tears.
It also comes same the Strictly‘s Denmark version saw not only a same-sex couple compete, but win the show itself.
And, plot twist, the entire world did not come to an end.
‘I’ve danced with fellas, a lot,’ says British ballroom dancer Anton du Beke.
With pressure mounting, Beke, who has been on Strictly since the show began in 2004, was pressed by Digital Spy on his take on the debate.
“In regards to whether we will be asking for a same-sex partner, that’s not for us to decide,” he admitted.
“It’s up to the producers.
“Regarding whether we have any comfort with the same-sex thing, to us as professionals, it doesn’t mean anything.
“This is not a thing for us. This is a thing for [the public].
“This is not a thing for us. We just dance.
“That’s just it. I’ve danced with fellas, a lot.
“For me, it’s not even a thing. I know [fellow finalists] Oti [Mabuse] and Amy [Dowden] feel exactly the same way.”
Some critics have questioned featuring a same-sex couple on the show based on how it would impact rehearsals and the choreography.
But Beke, a ballroom and latin dancer, squashed these concerns.
“It’s essentially how you choreograph it, really, he said.
“We’re just going to choreograph numbers.
“If we dance with a fella, we dance with a fella. If we dance with a dame, we dance with a dame.
“It’s not a thing.”