STRICTLY Come Dancing has been hit by a fresh fix row ahead of the first official live show.
Viewers of the BBC show have been left stunned to learn of the extent of one of the show’s stars dance experience ahead of signing up to the programme.
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Former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, best known for his role as Nicky Milligan, admitted to having dance experience on the programme but appeared to conceal it’s true extent.
During the launch show, Lewis admitted to learning to dance when he took on a role in the West End’s Billy Elliott.
However, he soon appeared to clarify this was the extent of his dance training and hadn’t been involved in any dance competitions since.
But it has now emerged that he actually too part in a major reality TV show aimed at finding the UK’s next dance superstar.
Lewis was part of a troupe who competed on the Sky One hit, Got To Dance, fronted by Davina McCall.
It saw contestants perform week-in week-out in the hopes of winning the contest and securing a cash prize.
They were judged by Diversity’s Ashley Banjo, Pussycat Dolls’ Kimberly Wyatt and actor and dancer, Adam Garcia.
Lewis made the final of the show in 2013 as part of Ruff Diamond who came runner-up in that year’s fourth series of the contest.
He can be seen gliding with ease across the stage and performing a number of hip-hop and break-dance style routines.
Revealing their shock on X, one avid Strictly watcher said: “Just found out #Strictly’s Lewis Cope was an international dancer before becoming an actor… and he got there after being a finalist on Davina McCall’s Sky One show, Got To Dance, way back in 2013!”
Another then added of his past experience: “He is a fully trained dancer since he was seven years old. He’s had a massive dance-based career.”
Someone else went on to quip: “He was so obviously better than everyone else even in just that little dance on Saturday so it was very clear his previous dancing experience was extensive.”
Lewis was drafted in to the contest last minute with the star admitting the process of being approached and formally signed up was a total of 36 hours.
The actor joined the show as a replacement for Game Of Thrones star Kristin Narin who was forced to pull out due to injury.
As well as their success on Got To Dance, Ruff Diamond performed on the BBC’s Children in Need alongside the cast of EastEnders before they went on to represent the UK in Las Vegas as part of the 2013 World Hip Hop Dance Championships.
Lewis eventually quit the group in 2015 at age 20.
Sparking claims of a fix, one fan insisted: “He shouldn’t be on the show then.”
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As another said: “The cheek of him to pretend he’s not a trained dancer! and we all know the public will fall for it! a grifter if I’ve ever seen one.”
With another penning: “I’m sick and tired of #Strictly having trained contestants on the show.”
Lewis isn’t the first star to be accused of having an unfair advnatage.
The Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts and West End regular Layton Williams were both accused of having an unfair advantage due to being regular performers and dancers with extensive training.
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