Thomas Skinner dramatically walked out of a Strictly Come Dancing interview, furiously telling journalists ‘I’m not doing this.’ The Apprentice star was being questioned by reporters at the BBC’s Elstree Studios when he abruptly stood up and departed the room.
In a first for a Strictly contestant, the former reality personality, now best known for his social media following, grabbed a reporter’s phone as they asked him to stop. This follows just hours after Skinner informed his X followers he “can’t be bought” and “won’t say things just to keep people happy.”
The 34-year-old has been a controversial choice for this year’s instalment of the BBC dance show. Skinner has faced fierce backlash for a Twitter (X) post claiming it is “not far-right” to be “flying your flag and loving your country”, and complaining “it ain’t safe out there any more” in London, describing the capital as “hostile” and “tense.”
However, whilst Skinner appears comfortable speaking online, it appears he is far less keen about face-to-face conversations. The dad-of-three took issue with a journalist recording an interview – which is standard procedure – during the major Strictly Come Dancing media day.
He had arrived at the table with fellow contestant, ex-footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank, who was left to conduct interviews alone, the Mirror reports.
An insider, who was at the event, revealed: “He walked to the table with his head down, he sat down, grabbed one of the reporters phones, who told him to stop. It was a shock. His reaction came out of nowhere.”
Another source told the Mirror: “It came completely out of nowhere. He seemed perfectly fine during the initial interview. In excellent spirits and thrilled and amazed to be there. Like someone who’d won a competition.”
His behaviour is reported to have infuriated organisers and left BBC bosses in discussions about whether he should continue on the show.
A female reporter had simply asked what had inspired Skinner to join Strictly, which caused the reality TV personality to notice he was being recorded on a phone during the press gathering. “What’s that?” Skinner demanded, before seizing the woman’s phone and removing it from the table.
The journalist replied asking: “What are you doing, can you answer the question, we have only got three minutes. I’m just recording him.”
Skinner shared a cryptic message with his Twitter (X) followers this morning before the press day began. In the lengthy tweet, he wrote: “I cannot be bought. I won’t say things just to keep people happy like others do. I am not a weathercock who changes opinions to gain clout like others you see online or social media. I’ll say what I believe in, even when it’s not easy. Because that’s what we need more of in today’s world.”
Skinner’s antics come just hours after BBC director-general Tim Davie defended the choice to cast the former Apprentice contestant in the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Speaking to MPs from the Culture, Media and Sport committee, Davie stated: “That was not my decision, that was the production team looking for those people … who want to do Strictly, and those people they thought would be interesting to the audience.”
The 58-year-old added: “Clearly, we wouldn’t take anyone whose views are just beyond the pale, or we would see as completely unacceptable or not suitable, racist views, all those things, we wouldn’t accept them. But that’s not the case here, from what I know, I’m not an expert on the individual, per se.”
It comes after TV presenter Narinder Kaur criticised the decision to cast Skinner, known for his “bosh” catchphrase, after she was deemed “too controversial” for the show herself.
Speaking about Kaur, Davie claimed he had “never heard that” when questioned about allegations she was turned down for the show. He continued: “I’m not involved directly, that’s not disowning it, it’s just day to day. It’s for BBC Studios to propose to the commissioner of entertainment who they think they can get, one is who will take part, because it’s quite a commitment, three months in full training.
“And the second is, who are people that they think would make a good balance in terms of the cost, and my goodness, they’ve done a good job in terms of creating a phenomenal show.”
Skinner met with US vice president JD Vance earlier this year, sharing barbecue and drinks. The star, who struck up a friendship with the US President Donald Trump’s deputy on social media platform X, described the event as a “once in a lifetime” experience.
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When questioned about the criteria for someone being “too controversial” for the show, Davie responded: “There may be views you don’t agree with, but that’s not to me, a criteria. If someone had broadcast things that were totally unacceptable, had racist views, we don’t want them anywhere near our shows, that’s obvious.
“That’s what our team have to judge, I don’t know how many series we’re in, but we’ve had a pretty good run of the contestants, there’s been things to deal with, but actually, in terms of the casting and the overall show around the world, I think they do a good job.”
Skinner is set to join other celebrities such as Love Island champion Dani Dyer-Bowen, ex-footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and CBBC actress Ellie Goldstein, who will make history as the first contestant with Down’s syndrome to participate in the full series of Strictly when it returns later this year.
