Published 13:01 10 Sep 2025 GMT+1

BBC Make Decision on Tom Skinner After Furious Incident With Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink was 'left alone' to answer questions at a press event after Skinner stormed out of the room.

Ryan Smart

The BBC have made a decision over Tom Skinner's participation on Strictly Come Dancing after he walked out of a press conference that also included Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday that Skinner, who was announced as a contest on the annual BBC programme last month, stormed out of a press event promoting the show.

It was reported that he took a female journalist's phone before then leaving the room after completing just two interviews.

Alongside him was former Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Netherlands striker Hasselbaink, who also signed up to be part of this year's Strictly line-up.

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BBC News reported that the contestants were interviewed in pairs or threes during the press event, with Hasselbaink left alone to answer questions after Skinner's abrupt exit.

The Mail reported that BBC bosses were to hold 'crisis talks' over Skinner's actions.

A source 'close' to the 34-year-old, who previously featured on The Apprentice and has over 400,000 followers on Twitter, told the outlet that Skinner was 'definitely regretful over the way he behaved' and added: "While he has done Celebrity MasterChef and the Apprentice in the past, those shows are prerecorded and he wouldn't have faced the same scrutiny he is with Strictly, he definitely felt out of his depth."

Skinner's casting was announced by the BBC Press Office last month (Image: Twitter/BBC)

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It is added that Strictly bosses were allegedly 'unable to locate him' at the press launch's venue after he walked out of the room, and were said to have 'concerns over his conduct'.

However, The Sun report that the BBC have decided to keep Skinner on the show.

"It's a very embarrassing incident for him and he's made it clear he just wants to crack on," a separate source told the outlet. "The BBC are backing him."

The original announcement of Skinner joining Strictly was met with mixed reactions from viewers, with the 34-year-old having been increasingly vocal with his political views in recent weeks.

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He has shown support for US President Donald Trump and his Republican vice-president, JD Vance.

What have the BBC said about Skinner?

BBC are yet to officially comment on the Skinner reports, with their only comment on the market trader being when director general Tim Davie was asked about his casting earlier on Tuesday.

Davie told a governmental select committee that he was 'not an expert' on Skinner but still defended the decision to bring him on the show.

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"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," he said. "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."

He added that the production team thought 'he would be interesting to the audience'.

Who else is on Strictly?

Alongside Hasselbaink, a number of other stars with sporting connections have signed up for the 2025 show.

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Former Team GB sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who now appears on Gladiators as 'Nitro', will be part of the show, as well as ex-Lionesses midfielder and current TV pundit Karen Carney.

Dani Dyer, Love Island winner, actress, and the wife of West Ham star Jarrod Bowen, is also involved, as well as ex-rugby union star Chris Robshaw.