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Amanda Holden and David Walliams slam ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ over refusal to include same-sex couples

The 'Britain's Got Talent' judges took aim at the BBC reality show

By Fabio Crispim

Amanda Holden and David Walliams have slammed BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing over its refusal to include same-sex dance couples. 

The Britain’s Got Talent judges made the comments during auditions for their ITV reality show after watching two male dancers. 

The pair praised the men’s performance before taking a swipe at the BBC1 show for refusing to include same-sex dance couples, the Metro reports. 

Holden said: “Strictly should do it. I love the moves and how you toss each other around on stage.”

Walliams added: “It was beautiful and shows there’s nothing funny about two men dancing together. I don’t know why the BBC doesn’t have two men dancing together because it’s fantastic.”

Last year, lesbian comedian Susan Calman was targeted by social media trolls after she agreed to dance with a male partner.

The backlash sparked a renewed debate on same-sex dance couples which saw Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood calling for the pairings. 2016’s Strictly champion voiced his support for the idea, and told Metro that he could see it happening in the future. 

However, Judge Rinder and former Strictly star Will Young shot the idea down. Dancer James Jordan also slammed the idea, and told the Daily Star last year that “there definitely shouldn’t be same-sex couples on Strictly.” 

He added: “Ballroom and Latin dance is about masculinity and femininity. It’s not about sexual orientation. It’s not a dating show. Why can’t a gay man dance with a woman?”