Fresh voting figures have dealt a major blow to Thomas Skinner’s explosive accusations that the BBC fixed the public vote to eliminate him from Strictly Come Dancing.
The former Apprentice star had threatened legal action against the BBC, insisting the results that sent him home were manipulated. But an independent poll of more than 125,000 viewers now paints a very different picture — one that appears to leave his conspiracy claims in tatters.
According to the poll, run by Strictly Spoiler alongside the live broadcast, Skinner attracted just 1.4 per cent of the public vote, making him the least popular contestant by a considerable margin. Insiders say the result mirrors the official outcome, where judges’ scores and public votes combined again placed him firmly bottom of the leaderboard.
A source close to the show said the poll was “larger than an exit poll for a general election” and offered “cold, hard facts” that there was no wrongdoing. “There is no conspiracy here. He was simply the least popular contestant by a long way,” the insider added.
Skinner has previously claimed he received an anonymous email, allegedly from a BBC executive, stating he had secured far more votes than viewers were led to believe. He insisted the email had been “independently verified”, though he has refused to explain how. BBC bosses say the figures are overseen by independent auditors PromoVeritas, and are not released for duty-of-care reasons.
Since his dramatic exit, the 34-year-old has also quietly parted ways with his agents, with industry insiders suggesting relations have become increasingly strained. Skinner, however, remains adamant the figures do not add up, saying he knows “for a fact” the numbers circulating publicly are inaccurate — while stressing he is no longer seeking a public fight.
A BBC spokesperson dismissed his allegations outright, insisting the vote is “independently and comprehensively verified every week” and confirming that no legal letters have yet been received. Skinner himself later softened his stance, saying he does not “hate the BBC” and simply wants to move on with his life.
