After five years on Strictly Come Dancing partnered with the likes of Penny Lancaster and Zoe Ball – he became a trusted fan favourite.

And now former professional, Ian Waite, has blamed the BBC‘s dwindling crew numbers on the show for the recent allegations of abuse suffered by contestants at the hands of their dancers.

The 53-year-old has told the Mail, the network’s decision to cut the number of people present in training rooms was unacceptable – and led to a number of complaints about its pro dancers.

He said: ‘Around 20 years ago, we would have a two-person camera crew and we’d have a runner, so we’d have three people at every single training.

+6
View gallery

Former Strictly professional Ian Waite has blamed the BBC’s dwindling crew numbers on the show for the recent allegations of abuse suffered by contestants at the hands of their dancers (seen on the show with partner Penny Lancaster in 2007)

+6
View gallery

Waite’s comments come as the BBC’s flagship show has been thrown into turmoil amid allegations of ‘bullying’ and abuse for two of its former dancers, Graziano Di Prima (seen wit partner Zara McDermott) and Giovanni Pernice

‘More recently, what’s happened is that you only had one camera guy. That’s it, and they come in every other day, so you don’t necessarily get to see everything, and they’re not there for everything.

‘There should be somebody there all the time for filming. For me, it’s kind of a no-brainer because anything can happen. It’s a long, tiring show, and I think it must get so exhausting towards the end. I think everything really needs to be documented.’

Waite’s comments come as the BBC’s flagship show has been thrown into turmoil amid allegations of ‘bullying’ and abuse for two of its former dancers, Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice.

Di Prima, 30, has admitted to kicking his partner and Love Island star, Zara McDermott, in training while Pernice’s partner, Amanda Abbington, has accused the Italian dancer of bullying her in rehearsals – both while the cameras were off.

Waite, who danced on the show from 2004 to 2009 with the likes of Penny Lancaster and Zoe Ball added: ‘There needs to be a bible of rules knowing where the boundaries are and what you can and can’t say. That’s something we’ve never been given.

‘We need to have safeguarding processes in place, not only for the celebrities but for the safety of everyone involved.

‘We’re here to push them as much as possible to get the best results.

‘That’s the way it’s done. If there are more extensive safeguarding rules, then we know what the boundary is definitively, and what standard we have to keep. I think that could then be pointed out to the professionals.’

+6
View gallery

The 53-year-old has told the Mail, the network’s decision to cut the number of people present in training rooms was unacceptable – and led to a number of complaints about its pro dancers

+6
View gallery

He said: ‘Around 20 years ago, we would have a two-person camera crew and we’d have a runner, so we’d have three people at every single training’ (seen with Denise Lewis in 2004)

Waite joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2004 and left in 2009 – more than 20 years after first appearing on television he has gone to Australia to appear as a professional on Dancing with the Stars.

He told the Mail: ‘It was very cathartic for me anyway because I’d literally just split up from a nine-year relationship, a marriage that ended and resulted in divorce.

‘To then go into Dancing With The Stars in Australia, get away from it all, and be the best version of me again, it really built my confidence again.’

Waite married airline pilot Drew Merriman in 2017 with their wedding attended by Strictly judges, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood and his former dance partner, Zoe Ball.

But after seven years of marriage, the pair split earlier this year because they were ‘incompatible’.

The Mail revealed Drew is now in a relationship with model John McMahon, who previously won national modelling competitions Mr Liverpool North and Mr British Isles.

This was in collaboration with Buzz Bingo.

+6
View gallery

Amanda Abbington has accused the Italian dancer of bullying her in rehearsals – both while the cameras were off