Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens next week, and I cannot wait to see this latest batch of celebrities attempt to tackle the samba or the Argentine tango.
Plenty of names have been announced over recent days, including Doctor Who star Alex Kingston, Neighbours icon Stefan Dennis and Love Island champion Dani Dyer. However, when former The Apprentice candidate Thomas Skinner was confirmed as a celebrity on Hits Radio, the reaction to his booking divided fans.
Here's how it went down…
Fan reaction
The announcement generated a lot of responses, both negative and positive. One fan wrote: "Absolutely disgusting booking. Shameful BBC," while a second added: "Thought this was one of those fake accounts what are we doing here," and a third penned: "What's that you hear?? Oh… it's the sound of the bottom of the barrel being scraped. Seriously strictly [expletive] is this signing?!"
One viewer went so far as to say: "This is the worst signing ever! Producers need to have a word with themselves."
© BBCHowever, there were others that came to the defence of the 34-year-old businessman.
One enthused: "Yay!!!!!! Tom," while a second posted: "Let's remember there is more to a person than their political views. Welcome Thomas, I'll sure you'll be brilliant." A third commented: "Woo hoo!! Best celebrity reveal ever!!! I'll support you every week. Don't listen to the haters. They are just brainwashed. Can't wait to watch you."
Why is there controversy?
The former Apprentice star has been generating a lot of headlines lately with his posts seemingly targeting 'woke' content. He has been seen as an increasingly political figure, and over the weekend, the businessman met with US Vice President JD Vance, another controversial figure.
© XCommon complaints have been about Thomas's views and whether he is as the right fit for a show that celebrates diversity. Some comments even specifically highlighted the show's LGBTQ+ visibility as well as its professional line-up, who often hail from countries outside of the UK.
Thomas has seemingly distanced himself from the political sphere, saying that he is neither right-wing nor left-wing, describing himself simply as someone who "loves his country".
Who is Thomas Skinner?
Thomas burst into the public sphere when he competed on the 15th series of The Apprentice back in 2019. The businessman won plenty of fans with his boundless enthusiasm for the task as well as his chivalrous nature towards other candidates.
The star didn't earn Lord Sugar's investment and was subsequently fired in the ninth episode of the series.
© BBCAfter his time on the show, Thomas continued with his pillow company, but also found fame due to his restaurant reviews. The father-of-three would tackle seemingly impossibly large plates of food, and signed off all of his posts with his signature: "Bosh".
