The Strictly star said some of his best dances had been with “fellas.”
As the current series of Strictly Come Dancing comes to end, speculation arises as to what the show might do next year, especially in regard to introducing same-sex dancing, something its rival show Dancing on Ice is doing this series.
At the press event for Strictly’s final, multiple news outlets asked about same-sex dancing. Strictly pro, and one of this year’s finalists, Anton du Beke admitted that it wasn’t his choice, saying: “In regards to whether we will be asking for a same-sex partner, that’s not for us to decide.
“It’s up to the producers… Regarding whether we have any comfort with the same-sex thing, to us as professionals, it doesn’t mean anything.
“This is not a thing for us. This is a thing for [the public]. This is not a thing for us. We just dance. That’s just it. I’ve danced with fellas, a lot.
He added: “Some of my best dances have been with men. I once danced with a guy called Gary Agers from the Royal Ballet, he’s a beauty. We did a number in a show and my wife was in the audience. She still says to this day that it was one of the best numbers that I’ve ever done.
“For me, it’s not even a thing. I know Oti [Mabuse] and Amy [Dowden] feel exactly the same way.”
When asked about how it would be to choreograph a same-sex routine, he said: “It’s essentially how you choreograph it, really. We’re just going to choreograph numbers.
“If we dance with a fella, we dance with a fella. If we dance with a dame, we dance with a dame.”
Earlier this series, professionals Johannes Radebe and Graziano Di Prima danced to Emeli Sandé’s Shine. Speaking about the routine, Johannes said: “I’ve never felt so liberated. For the first time in my life, I feel accepted for who I am. That says so much about the people of this country.
“To be able to dance with a friend I respect and adore is joyous. There’s bromance galore between us, but there were no male and female roles, just free movement. It was beautiful, classy and elegant.”
Graziano later wrote on Instagram: “Our friendship is difficult to explain, we went through so many moments together that we can understand each other without saying a WORD.. As I say to you most of the time: You will be part of my life FOREVER.”
The final of Strictly Come Dancing 2019 airs tonight (14 December) at 19:05 on BBC One.
Related: Same-sex couple win Denmark’s version of Strictly Come Dancing
Latest
