Until he was announced as a contestant in the 2025 series of Strictly Come Dancing, I had never heard of Thomas Skinner. But then, the world of celebrity is one with which I am not over familiar and there are a number of his fellow dancers with whom I am totally unfamiliar. George Clarke, La Voix, Ellie Goldstein, Vicky Pattinson, Amber Davis, Dani Dyer and Kristian Nairn are names that have never crossed my radar. But Thomas Skinner is the one whose appearance appears to be the most controversial, at least in my little world.
Skinner is described on Wikipedia, so it must be true, as ‘an English businessman and television personality.’ Born filthy rich and sent to an elite private school, he has found himself appearing on numerous TV ‘reality’ shows like The Apprentice, Celebrity Masterchef, Faking It (whatever the fuck that is) and now Strictly, as well as a number of light entertainment shows. So, pretty D list, then. But there is something else about Skinner about which I was unaware until recently and that is his politics. He’s on far right Reform UK Ltd territory.
l happened upon the political angle when I discovered that my family, as well as a number of friends who always watch Strictly, are studiously avoiding the show this season, at least until Skinner has been voted out.
Those who are effectively boycotting strictly are, I would say, on the liberal side of the centre ground of politics, far from the extreme areas inhabited by the likes of Skinner, but here’s the thing. They are all appalled by the idea of this Donald Trump fan boy, an actual friend of JD Vance, who talks bollocks about Sadiq Khan’s three terms as Mayor of London, as do other fruit bats on the extreme ring of politics being shown as mainstream. Skinner has appeared in a social media piece with the odious right-wing Tory Robert ‘Honest Bob’ Jenrick and it is no secret that the Fagash Fuhrer Nigel Farage would like him to run for his privately owned business Reform UK Ltd as the next Mayor for London. in other words, a rather sweet TV show with strong family values has employed a bloke whose political views are as far right as you can go without being an actual fascist.
Frankly, Skinner’s inclusion cannot be a surprise to anyone who has observed the BBC’s lurch to the political right in recent years, reflected in its widespread and uncritical coverage of Nigel Farage. I find it hard to explain his appointment otherwise. A little known – to me, a totally unknown – minor TV personality, yet as with Farage a man with some seriously unpleasant opinions gets free rein on peak hours TV.
I haven’t watched Strictly on a regular basis since Bruce Forsyth was in charge but as long as Skinner is involved in this season, I will stand in solidarity with those of you who are not watching. It’s a minor gesture, for sure, which will not affect anything at Strictly or the BBC in general, never mind politics, but I have zero tolerance for fascists and anyone whose views are but a heartbeat away. Zero tolerance, in this instance, means not watching Strictly. If we don’t take a stand, who will be on next year? Tommy Robinson?
