Former Strictly star Catherine Tyldesley has defended the dance competition’s first ever drag dance after more than 100 viewers complained on Saturday night.
The Coronation Street actress, 37, slammed those who complained about the routine as ‘homophobic’ on her Instagram on Wednesday after the groundbreaking dance.
Male professional dancers Johannes Radebe, Gorka Marquez and Giovanni Pernice had dressed in drag to perform a medley of hits from the musical Priscilla: Queen of the Desert on Saturday’s show.
‘It’s homophobic’: Former Strictly star Catherine Tyldesley has defended the dance contest’s first ever drag dance after more than 100 viewers complained on Saturday night
But Catherine, who was partnered with Johannes, 33, on Strictly last year, has rushed to defend the show, praising it for being ‘inclusive of everyone’.
Slamming a viewer who claimed the ‘weird’ dance ‘confused their grandchildren’, Catherine fumed that they should plant their ‘homophobic complaints’ ‘in the mud’.
The Scarborough star also gushed that the routine was a ‘joy to behold’ and said it ‘lit up our screens’ following ‘a terrible year’.
Taking to Instagram, she angrily penned: ‘Confused’ their grandchildren my arse!!! These ‘complaints’ are from homophobic massive t****s trying to train their kids/grandchildren up the same way.
Fuming: Catherine, 37, who was partnered with Johannes, 33, on Strictly last year, slammed those who complained about the routine as ‘homophobic’ on her Instagram on Wednesday
Fabulous: Male pro dancers Johannes Radebe, Gorka Marquez and Giovanni Pernice had dressed in drag to perform hits from the musical Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
‘Strictly is inclusive… of EVERYONE. EVERY human being has a right to be present AND represented.
‘Take you’re ridiculous homophobic complaints and plant them in some mud… maybe the rain will wash away your judgemental s***e.
‘Further more this entire routine and all dancers in it were a Joy to behold, talented beyond words and lit up our screens in what has been a terrible year for many. Stop putting fearful clouds in front of the brightest of stars!!!’
Her comments come after BBC bosses also spoke out in defence of the groundbreaking routine.
A statement released on Wednesday insisted ‘it was intended to be a fun and entertaining musicals dance for our viewers who are used to and expect Strictly to be glamorous’.
‘Strictly is inclusive’: BBC bosses also spoke out in defence of the groundbreaking routine, saying ‘it was intended to be a fun and entertaining musicals dance for our viewers’
It read: ‘We received complaints from viewers who felt it was inappropriate for some of the male professional dancers to be dressed in drag for the opening dance.
‘It was intended to be a fun and entertaining musicals dance for our viewers who are used to and expect Strictly to be glamorous.
‘We feel that it’s important to allow the choreographers and professional dancers to exercise creative freedom when putting together routines for a programme of this nature.
‘Strictly is an inclusive show and we always ensure that the programme’s content is appropriate.’
Male professional dancers Johannes, Gorka, 30, and Giovanni, 30, had dressed in full drag to perform hits from the musical Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.
Complaints: After the routine, some viewers questioned why such a dance should feature on a ‘family show’, with one claiming the ‘weird’ dance even ‘confused their grandchildren’
After the performance, some outraged viewers questioned why such a dance should feature on a ‘family show’, with one claiming the ‘weird’ dance even ‘confused their grandchildren’.
The BBC confirmed they had received complaints following the innovative routine, meaning the network would have to issue a public response.
Ofcom also received a small number of complaints after some viewers shared their outrage on social media.
Over the weekend, viewers shared their mixed response to the performance on social media, with one tweeting: ‘My grandchildren are completely confused.’
Another added: ‘Strictly gone weird tonight,’ while a third added: ‘Used to be a family show. Will stop watching.’
Praise: But a vast majority of fans flooded Twitter with praise for the dance, with many proclaiming it was a visual feast in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
But a vast majority of fans flooded Twitter with praise for the dance, with many proclaiming it was a visual feast in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One fan gushed: ‘Absolutely loving the #Strictly opening number tonight celebrating LGBTQ+. Gio and Gorka just showing off being able to dance that well both masculine and feminine. Bravo.’
Another viewer gushed about the South African performer: ‘Can I just say that Johannes killed it in that opening sequence.’
While one said passionately: ‘OMG sensational! @jojo_radebe is literally living his best life!
‘@pernicegiovann1 looking good in heels… @gorkamarquez1 gurl where’s your heels!! Well done boys, you were phenomenal and a joy to watch.’
‘Superb’: Several viewers heaped praised on the routine, saying they were pleased to see Strictly ‘celebrating LGBTQ+’ with the ‘superb’ dance
Several viewers heaped praised on the routine, saying it was the best one to appear on the show and was ‘superb’.
One viewer couldn’t contain their joy, as they wrote: ‘THAT OPENING WAS EVERYTHING!’
On Tuesday, Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood even offered his honest opinion on the complaints following the performance.
The ballroom pro, 55, slammed the complainers and said he thinks anyone who didn’t like the performance should simply change the channel, because the dance was a ‘form of theatre’.
Appearing on Tuesday’s edition of Steph’s Packed Lunch, host Steph McGovern questioned Craig about complaints made to the BBC about the Strictly professionals’ group dance inspired by the film and musical.
Craig responded: ‘It’s madness, it’s a form of theatre. They’re artists, they’re dancers and they are involving themselves in characters.
‘I was just really sad that I didn’t make an entrance, I was so jealous, I wanted to be in there with a big blue emu on my head!’
While on Monday, Strictly pro Anton Du Beke addressed the criticism, saying on Steph’s Packed Lunch: ‘I don’t know. It’s silly really and it’s a shame.
‘It is a movie and this wasn’t just camp time, we weren’t just frocking up for sake of it – it is the movie Priscilla and if you’ve seen the movie you’ll know what it’s all about… I thought they did a great job of it.’
Steph furthered the conversation by saying: ‘It’s hard though, when you’re getting trolls who send horrible things to you…’
Upsetting: Pro Anton Du Beke also hit out against the negative response to the group performance on Monday, branding the backlash a ‘shame’
‘Don’t read it,’ Anton replied. ‘Easiest thing is don’t read it. It’s the easiest thing to do in the world is to tap away – don’t like you very much – bosh. Just don’t read it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m absolutely marvellous, I don’t need to know the truth.
‘I do care what people say as we’re in showbusiness and it’s the worst thing. If I have a room of 2,000 people in an audience, I’m concerned about the one person there who doesn’t seem to be laughing at everything I say or clapping every time I dance…it ruins it for myself.
‘You have to do the best you can, perform the best you can and forget about the trolls…
‘They know it’s so damaging because we talk about it so much, and it’s one of those things you can’t say ‘we can’t talk about it’ because we’ve got to highlight it, and it’s easy to say ‘don’t read it’ as it doesn’t really help but…avoid reading it.’
Madness: Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood slammed the complainers, saying those who didn’t like the dance should simply change the channel
The Strictly professionals delighted fans when they got into drag to embody the queens from the classic 1994 musical Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.
The performance saw them transform into sparkling divas for the show’s first ever pro dance featuring men in drag.
Sporting rainbow fans, Johannes dressed in a plunging silver top and trousers, while Gorka and Giovanni wore matching blue and red ensembles.
The trio also wore floral head pieces that covered their locks as they glided along the dance floor to the upbeat number.
But adding another glamorous flair, their fellow professionals pulled their trousers off to reveal their outfits also doubled up as dresses.
Glamorous! Gorka and Giovanni shared a closer look at their make-up and outfits, as Gorka declared his drag name was ‘Miss G’ and the Italian dancer named himself Taramisu
On Sunday Johannes – who took centre stage in the drag dance – praised his fellow pros for embracing the larger-then-life characters as he shared behind-the-scenes snaps from the performance.
In the post, he wrote: ‘I work with a fab bunch of people but I wanted to shout-out to these two for shamelessly putting the motion in every single part, fierce enough to strut their stuff…
‘We appreciate you @gorka_marquez & @giovannipernice1 and as for partner @aljazskorjanec thank you darling.’
Gorka and Giovanni also shared a closer look at their make-up and colourful outfits, as the former declared his drag name was ‘Miss G’ and the Italian dancer named himself Taramisu.