Strictly Come Dancing fans are gearing up for another elimination during Sunday night's instalment, but some are already well aware of who's going home. Leaks are shared ahead of the pre-recorded goodbye, but how exactly is it done? The episodes aired on the BBC are actually pre-recorded, with an audience sworn to secrecy before the exit is unveiled to the general public. But not everyone is able to keep their mouth shut and reveal their findings to online blog The Strictly Spoiler.
Created by Dave Thorp, the telly superfan has been publishing the show's results for years, way before the BBC announcements. With sometimes half-a-million viewers on his website, Mr Thorp runs it with the help of donations via PayPal and Patreon. He's now opened up about the ins and outs of running the sneaky page, and reveals that Strictly bosses have even tried to shut him down.
"There was one occasion in 2015 when [the BBC ] claimed the Facebook page that I operate infringed upon their trademarks and got Facebook to temporarily take it down," he told Metro.co.uk.
"I appealed that, and the BBC relented and got Facebook to restore the page," he explained. Mr Thorp started his controversial blog back in 2012, and by 2014 he claims the interest was "crazy" - and its led to more insider "moles". On how he gets the spoilers, Dave told Metro: "There are a couple of other sources I work quite closely with, such as Facebook groups.
Normally, between us we have one, two, maybe three moles in the audienc.
