Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli has publicly defended the BBC's decision to drop five prrofessional dancers, calling the move a necessary part of showbusiness reality. speaking at the British LGBT Awards on Thursday night, Tonioli told the Daily Mail that 'dancing is like sport' and that the show must have the best players. the axed professionals icnlude Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Luba Mushtuk – a cull widely described as a 'bloodbath' following a year of scandals and shock exits.

The five dancers named in the 2025 Strictly bloodbath

The BBC's decision to remove five long-serving professionals sent shockwaves through the show's fanbase. As reported by the Daily Mail, those given the boot are Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Luba Mushtuk.. The move comes after a bruising year for the programme , which has faced scandals, alleged misconduct claims, and the departure of several cast members. Tonioli's remarks are the first high-profile defence of the overhaul from someone inside the show's orbit.

Bruno Tonioli's 'dancing is like sport' comparison

Tonioli, 70, compared the cull to team selection in athletics. 'There's a point when you know to have the best team you have to get the best players. It's nothing personal,' he said. 'I've been a dancer, I know what it's like. There's a point when you say I cannot do it. Your body can't perform at the same level. There is nothing nasty about it.' The former judge's defence frames the shake-up as a merit-based business decision rather than a personal slight, but it also raises questions about how performance is measured in a show that blends dance with celebrity partnerships and audience voting.

What the ousted professionals have not yet said publicly

None of the five departing dancers – Hauer, Marquez, Bychkova, Tsiakkas, or Luba Mushtuk – have commented on their exit beyond initial statements. Their silence leaves several open questions: Was the cull purely about dancing ability, or were budget cuts and contract negotiations also factors? Did any of them request to leave? And what will be the impact on the show's diversity, given that some of the axed pros were among its most ethnically diverse performers? The source article provides only Tonioli's view, not the dancers' side of the story.

Strictly's ratings resilience versus roster overhaul

Despite the upheaval, Tonioli insisted the programme remains 'part of British culture' and 'so ingrained with the publc.' He noted that he still receives 'amazing feedback' from fans of earlier seasons. The current judging panel – Anton Du Beke,Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse – remains unchanged. The challenge for the BBC will be whether the overhauled dance troupe can maintain the show's ratings momentum while also addressing the broader trust issues that have dogged it in recent months. According to the Daily Mail, the 'Strictly bloodbath' is one of the most dramatic personnel changes in the show's history.