Thomas Skinner says he ‘really regrets doing Strictly’ but insist he’s still on ‘good terms’ with the BBC… despite ‘seeking legal action’ over claims bosses ‘rigged’ his exit and pulling out of the show’s finale

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Thomas Skinner has expressed strong regret over his participation in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing and is now pursuing legal options. He alleges that show bosses manipulated the voting process, leading to his early elimination.

The 34-year-old star of The Apprentice was already a controversial addition to the show because of his strong, conservative political opinions. However, the backlash intensified when he admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, Sinead, shortly after their wedding.

Thomas, in a statement that has since been removed, admitted he wasn’t perfect and had made errors. However, he still believed the votes were rigged, claiming he’d received proof in an anonymous email, according to The Mirror.

Although he said the only good part of his time on the show was meeting his professional partner, Amy Dowden, he maintains he’s still friendly with the BBC. This is despite the fact that he took legal action and didn’t participate in Saturday’s final, which was won by Lioness player Karen Carney.

Thomas wanted to express his sincere gratitude to everyone who has been following his progress and offering their support. He said he appreciates their kindness more than words can say.

I want to be upfront about what’s probably going to happen next. I anticipate people will accuse me of lying, attempt to discredit me, say I’m unpopular, or even claim I received no support. Honestly, I’m no longer concerned about that. I’m confident in what I know to be true, and I stand by the conversations I’ve had.

Thomas, a father of three, acknowledged he was responsible for many of the recent events. He admitted to making mistakes throughout his life and readily takes responsibility, stating he’s not perfect and never claimed to be.

I’m upset that my family is now involved in all of this, so I need some space. I never intended for any of this to be public, and honestly, I wish I hadn’t done Strictly Come Dancing.

Ugh, he finally admitted it! He said he seriously regrets everything, that if he could take it back, he would. The only good thing that came out of the whole mess, he said, was meeting Amy – and honestly, everyone agrees she’s the sweetest person ever. But other than that? It’s been a disaster. He didn’t say exactly how it’s affected him, but you could tell it’s been way more than he lets on. It just breaks my heart to hear him say that, even if he did do something questionable. I just want him to be okay!

We parted ways amicably. Let me be clear, I have no ill will towards the BBC. They gave me my first major opportunity on The Apprentice six or seven years ago, and I truly appreciate that. I don’t want any trouble; I simply want to move forward with my life.

I’m returning to work tomorrow and prioritizing my family – my kids and wonderful wife. I feel fortunate to have consistent work, and that’s where my energy will be. It’s been a difficult year with a lot of unfair criticism.

Daily Mail have contacted Thomas’ representatives for further comment. 

A BBC representative stated that the public vote on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ is carefully checked by an independent team each week to guarantee its accuracy. They dismissed any suggestions of inaccuracies as false. The BBC also noted that Mr. Skinner has not provided the email he mentioned, preventing them from offering further comment.

PromoVeritas, the independent company that checks the Strictly Come Dancing public vote, confirmed that all votes are thoroughly verified by two auditors each week. They stated that every vote received is validated, and this process has been consistently followed throughout the season.

Thomas and his dance partner Amy received a low score of 29 out of 80 across two performances, putting them in the bottom two alongside former rugby player Chris Robshaw. Ultimately, the judges decided to save Chris, allowing him to continue in the competition.

The BBC is already dealing with a $7.5 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump, and now Thomas, who is friends with Vice President JD Vance, is also suing them.

After a Panorama program revealed the corporation had altered his speech, the president sued them for $10 billion.

Thomas insists he received more public votes than reported and says he has proof to back up his claim. He’s committed to pursuing the issue, but the BBC is expected to strongly deny any suggestion of vote rigging or manipulation.

He firmly believes the BBC was determined to remove him quickly, even if it meant losing the support of his followers.

Before the live final on Saturday, Thomas publicly addressed reports that he had been looking into legal options.

He announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he won’t be able to attend tonight’s Strictly Come Dancing final, as reported in the news. He explained that he first checked with his dance partner, Amy Dowden, to make sure she was comfortable with his decision.

She’s become a really good friend, and I’d always be there for her. I was so excited when I was asked to be on Strictly Come Dancing in April! It wasn’t because I’m a dancer – far from it! – but because I wanted to challenge myself and try something completely new and outside of what I’m used to.

The TV personality explained that after leaving the show, they received an anonymous email claiming to be from a BBC executive. The email contained voting statistics suggesting their vote count had been misrepresented. They later had the email’s authenticity confirmed by an independent source.

The email also said the BBC was upset and worried because I’d met JD Vance, who is now the Vice President of the USA. To be clear, I don’t really get involved in politics – I’m just someone who cares deeply about my country.

The media has portrayed me as a political person, but honestly, anyone in my position would have jumped at the chance. It still feels surreal that someone like me – I used to sell mattresses from a van! – now has a friendship with such an important figure in world politics.

I requested the official vote counts to verify the numbers I received by email, but I was informed they aren’t available for viewing – and have never been shared with anyone throughout the show’s history.

I discussed the email with senior colleagues and the BBC welfare team, who I truly respect. They actually suggested I seek legal advice, as they felt the situation was very unfair – it wasn’t something I came up with on my own.

Little details also contributed to the overall atmosphere. Everyone at the event received a welcome gift – things like skincare samples and face masks. It turned out mine was the only one that went missing.

He explained that the incident itself wasn’t a big deal, but combined with everything else happening, it felt unsettling. He felt the show had misrepresented him and created a false impression of his character.

Public opinion was shaped by inaccurate or overblown stories in the media over the summer. What happened to me and my family was unfair. I need to state this cautiously: after receiving and confirming this information, a high-ranking BBC executive has resigned. I’m not suggesting there’s a connection to me, but the timing felt strange.

The main hosts also left shortly after, which seems like a strange coincidence, though I’m not suggesting there’s a connection. I’m just stating what happened. I also didn’t want this becoming public.

I’ve been really struggling with a lot of false and exaggerated stories about me in recent months. It’s been upsetting, as this is my personal life. What’s particularly odd is that a private conversation I had with BBC executives on Wednesday about future plans became public news by the next morning.

This confirms information was leaked. It definitely didn’t come from me, since it’s now in the press. (I suspect it might be the same person who emailed me.) I really didn’t want this to become public, let alone national news – I wanted to avoid all of this.

He continued, explaining that he’s writing a statement to clarify why he won’t be there. He wants to make sure people don’t think he’s upset or holding a grudge, and he doesn’t want any false stories to spread. He emphasized that he isn’t seeking attention, nor does he believe he deserved to win – he readily admits he wasn’t a good dancer.

Whether you like me or not, you have to admit I’m popular – I can’t even go to the grocery store without people stopping me for pictures.

I truly believe in treating everyone fairly and with respect. I want all the dancers tonight to have a wonderful performance – they’ve worked incredibly hard and deserve this chance to shine. For me personally, I need to get back to my fish stall and, more importantly, to my family, who mean the world to me. Thank you all for your continued support. That’s all from me!

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2025-12-21 23:20