STRICTLY'S Ola Jordan has been accused of bullying Steve Backshall and branded 'cold, rude and tough'. Steve , 51, reportedly lodged a complaint with the BBC in 2014 about his show partner, 41, claiming he found the practice sessions gruelling and difficult to endure. These bullying allegations have resurfaced during a turbulent period for the show, which is currently facing various abuse scandals and a misconduct investigation.
Insiders now say that the series is "fatally tarnished". Professional dancer Graziano Di Prima , 30, was dropped from the upcoming series following reports that he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner, Zara McDermott , 27, last year. This follows the suspension of another pro, Giovanni Pernice , 33, over off-camera misconduct claims made by Amanda Abbington , 50, and two other former celebrity partners, which he denies.
read more on Ola Jordan But, as early as 2014, there were claims of bullying when Steve appeared on the show. Following his complaint, he and Ola were assigned a chaperone after he refused to be alone with the Polish dancer, MailOnline alleges. The programme's bosses intervened after Steve alleged that her 'rude and impatient' manner had undermined his confidence.
A source close to the show explained at the time: "Steve is a very energetic personality, up for any challenge, but Ola's harsh treatment has flattened him and made him lose confidence. Most read in TV "She was very rude and impatient when he struggled to mast.