Thomas Skinner, a former contestant on “Strictly Come Dancing,” has addressed swirling rumors concerning his alleged legal action against the BBC over accusations of vote manipulation following his premature departure from the show. Partnered with professional dancer Amy Dowden, Skinner’s abrupt exit raised eyebrows, prompting speculation about the fairness of the competition’s voting process.

In a candid message on social media platform X, Skinner confirmed that he would not be attending the “Strictly” final, sparking further intrigue. He expressed his thoughts this morning, emphasizing his consideration for Dowden’s feelings by stating, “First thing I wanna say is this… I spoke with my lovely dance partner, Amy Dowden, to make sure she was okay with me not attending. She’s a good person and a good friend now, I’d never let her down.”

Reflecting on his journey, Skinner shared his initial excitement about joining “Strictly” back in April. “When I got given the opportunity to do Strictly, I was buzzing. Not because I can dance… I can’t. But because I really wanted to test myself and learn something completely out of my comfort zone,” he admitted.

However, controversy arose when Skinner claimed he received an anonymous email allegedly from a BBC executive, suggesting discrepancies in the voting results. “On the night I left the show, I received an anonymous email claiming to be from a BBC exec with stats, saying I’d received far more votes than it appeared and it wasn’t right. I’ve since had the email independently verified,” he stated, adding that the email also mentioned the BBC’s unease over his meeting with U.S. Senator JD Vance.

Addressing his perceived political involvement, Skinner clarified, “Let me be clear, I’m not a political bloke. Never have been. I just love my country and am patriotic. I’ve been made out by the press to be this political figure. If anyone was to get an opportunity like what I did, they would have taken it. I still think it is mad that a man like me who sells mattresses out of a van can call someone that senior in the world’s politics a friend now.”

Thomas also alleged: “There were also smaller things that added to the feeling. Everyone received a welcome gift on the show….. skincare bits, face masks, that sort of thing. Mine was the only one that “Got Stolen” apparently. On its own, it’s nothing…. but added to everything else, it felt strange. I have been made out to be someone I actually am not simply because I took part in this show.

“The views were formed from media stories over the summer that simply wasn’t true or exaggerated. It ain’t fair what has happened to me and my family. I also want to say this carefully. After receiving this information and having it verified, a very senior BBC figure has since resigned. I’m not saying that had anything to do with me, but it did feel bizarre. Also the main hosts stepped down the following week. Again, I’m not saying it has anything to do with me. It’s just all very coincidental. I’m just being honest.”

The public vote is overseen by a specialist team that is separate from Strictly Come Dancing and is independently verified.

A BBC spokesperson told Express.co.uk on Friday: “Strictly Come Dancing’s public vote is robust and independently overseen and verified to ensure complete accuracy.”

Sources at the BBC told The Mirror they have not received any legal complaint or paperwork in relation to this matter.

We have contacted the BBC for comment on Thomas’ post.