Strictly Come Dancing viewers are branded 'racist': Row erupts as Olympian suggests public are voting off black contestants

Viewers of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing have been accused of racism after the show's only black contestants were involved in a "dance-off". 

Complaints have flooded into the BBC’s website in their hundreds since last weekend’s competition.

The furore follows Rising Damp star Don Warrington and M People singer Heather Small coming bottom in the public vote last Sunday even though judges gave them more points than three white contestants. 

Don got 23 points from the judges and Heather 21, while TV journalist John Sergeant only managed 16 and swimmer Mark Foster and GMTV frontman Andrew Castle were awarded just 17. 

A BBC insider has reportedly admitted that execs were shocked by the public vote, adding: “There were a lot of people at the BBC who watched in horror on Sunday night, like viewers did. 

“Having two black people in the bottom two who hadn’t even performed badly was a very bad look for us.”

After Don left the show the official Strictly website was besieged with accusations of racism.

One viewer wrote 'I’m really concerned the voting for Strictly is racist. There’s no way Don and Heather both deserved to be in the bottom two.'

Now black olympic sprinter John Regis has added his weight to the row,l saying: 'I was shocked. I thought, ‘You must be kidding.’ 

'It’s not like sport, when it’s down to performance—other factors come into play. Strictly is a middle-class kind of show and that possibly could be the area where racism still festers. I feel sorry for Don. I wouldn’t go on Strictly for all the tea in China.” 

In the 2007 series, black footballer John Barnes was in the dance-off four times, despite out-scoring white contestants.

And in the previous year BBC bosses were forced to change the rules of the competition after finalist DJ Spoony was voted off after just three weeks. 

They introduced the dance-off to save good dancers like him who had scored poorly with the public. 

Also in 2006, black Harry Potter heartthrob Ray Fearon, was evicted before white goalkeeper Peter Schmeiche, who critics said had "two left feet".

Heather Small, once off, declined to comment.  

But a close pal said: “There’s definitely something in this. There may be institutional racism at work in the public vote.” 

Her show rival Austin Healey denied voting was racist. Mixed-race singer Alesha Dixon won last year and athlete Colin Jackson was runner-up in 2005. continues here 

The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it was an “interesting” issue and pledged to investigate any complaints it received about Strictly.

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