Since its debut in 2004, Strictly Come Dancing has been a shining star in the BBC's line-up. However, the beloved show has recently become a thorn in the corporation's side due to a string of controversies.
The most recent incident involves Jamie Borthwick, who was partnered with new professional dancer Michelle Tsiakkas last year, being suspended from his long-standing role on EastEnders for using an offensive term about disabled people.
The 30-year-old actor has since expressed remorse, but the incident occurred while he was filming Strictly and used the derogatory term to describe locals in Blackpool.
This came just months after radio presenter Wynne Evans was dropped from the Strictly tour, and subsequently sacked from the BBC entirely, after he was caught making an inappropriate remark. He apologised at the time - though he has since stated he was "horrified" at how the BBC communicated his apology.
However, questions about Strictly's future were already surfacing last year following the launch of a bullying investigation into the behaviour of professional dancers, reports Belfast Live.
This resulted in stricter rules during training sessions and the BBC show featuring the smallest number of female celebrities in its two-decade history, according to the Mirror.
Considering all that's happened and the changes it has undergone, is there still hope for the show?
Vincent Simone, the popular professional dancer who lit up the BBC show from 2006 to 2012, has expressed his longing for a return to the programme's original format.
"Back in our day with Bruce [Forsyth], it was a very traditional Ballroom and Latin American show," Vincent reminisces. "Now it has evolved so much and they've introduced so many different styles that I, myself, would be struggling to do like contemporary and all that stuff.
"It didn't used to have any special effects - it was literally someone handing me over a CD with the music and saying good luck, off you go for next week.
"It's a much larger team now with choreographers, helpers and cameras and so they jazz it up a lot more. Sometimes I always feel like it's nice to strip it back to just two people dancing with the music. Like, really simple. I like that side of it."
Brendan Cole, Strictly's notorious 'bad boy' pro from 2004 until 2017, admits that he feels the show has lost some of its sparkle. However, unlike Vincent, he doesn't believe that the show can revert to its roots.
"With these big shows, the longer they run, the more bells and whistles," he observes. "Because every year a new producer steps in, they want to make the show their own.
"When [Strictly] first started there was a magic about it but if you watch that show now, it would probably seem very, very basic and very average compared to what you watch now."
Reflecting on the evolution of UK's captivating television staple, an insightful comment was made: "But of its day, it had a magic and it had a beauty and it was very innocent. It's probably lost a little bit of that, but I don't think you could return to that format. I think shows have to improve and have to compete with other shows, otherwise they get left behind."
Recognising the show's remarkable longevity, another statement praised its consistent appeal: "Strictly had an amazing 20 something years on television. I don't think you can compare the start to finish, but what you can do is admire the way the show has been produced over the years, and the fact that it still has a good family sort of value."
Further perspective was added: "So yes, it's had a couple of it may have had a couple of rocky years, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. It's just time."
Pasha Kovalev, who himself spun into love with Rachel Riley during his stint from 2011 until 2018, shared his sentimentality for the early-days VTs that depicted genuine connections in training rather than today’s more theatrical skits.
Regarding his own experience, he shared: "You don't really speak much on the show," he said. "You stand next to your celebrity and listen to what the judges say. Those VTs before could show the actual friendship and relationship that develops between the two people on the dance floor in the dance room and you can get your personality across. That's why everyone loves Vincent now."
Adding a touch of humour, Vincent quipped about past charms: "We had personality back in the day!".
