Strictly’s new pro dancer under fire as it’s revealed he’s ‘in group chats’ with show fans ‘handing out tickets’

THE series launch is still weeks away but one of the new professional dancers on Strictly has already found himself in the eye of a storm. The newcomer is under fire after offering superfans free tickets in a private group chat, including young female fans. Strictly Come Dancing pro Cristian Priori has come under fire for offering studio tickets to young fans Credit: BBC Fans couldn’t believe they were in with a chance of seeing their heroes in the flesh Credit: Social Media Italian Cristian Priori, 34, playfully asked “can I give tickets to who I want? [smiling and peace emojis]” in the chat which has sparked backlash online and raised questions around the show’s safeguarding rules. While in a social media post, another young fan suggested she had been invited by Cristian to a Strictly pre-record, calling the experience “the most magical day” and a “dream come true”. She wrote: “I honestly can’t thank Cristian enough for everything it was definitely the bestest day everrrr.” The first pre-record of the upcoming series, which takes place at Elstree Studios and features two or three group routines in front of a full audience, took place on Wednesday. Under-18s are not permitted to attend unless accompanied by an adult. Cristian is one of five new pro dancers on the show after bosses gave it a huge facelift Credit: PA Cristian showed off a handmade bracelet gifted to him by a fan Credit: Social Media Cristian showed off a handmade bracelet featuring his name that one dedicated fan had made for him. It has led to calls from some fans for an investigation and complaints of “unhealthy power dynamics”. A source said: “The BBC have come down hard on Cristian and are surprised how naive he’s been to get involved in a situation like this. It’s been an unwelcome headache ahead of the series, which was meant to be a fresh start. It’s an embarrassing distraction and serious conversations have been had to ensure this won’t happen again.” The insider continued: “These fans seem wide-eyed and starstruck by Cristian. They’re openly stating he’s their favourite despite the series not having begun and are enamored with having direct contact with someone whose profile is set to explode. The five new are Maddie Ingoldsby, Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian, Lethabo Monametsi and Mark Karmalita Credit: X Those who chatted with Cristian have defended the dancer on social media Credit: Social Media “It’s all a bit uncomfortable and older fans are quite rightly questioning if a show pro should interacting with younger people in this way.” Others believe the BBC should investigate four-time Italian Latin Champion Cristian. One angry fan asked: “Do new pros not get any form of safeguarding or PR training? Think by now Strictly would be a bit more savvy with things like that.” Another said: “I don’t even think the pros should be giving out tickets to fans at all, adults or teens especially just at random. It can create an unhealthy dynamic where the fan then feels like they’re friends with them which can lead to more problems.” A third said the incident undermines the integrity of the show and slammed the BBC’s “fascination” with trying to woo young audiences. Others said that while they don’t believe Cristian had “bad intentions”, should have known better. Some of the young female supporters from the group chat, whose ages aren’t known, have rallied behind Cristian, insisting the situation is innocent. One stated: “If a pro was offering you tickets for the show, obviously you’d take them.” They added: “We aren’t harming anyone, we have done nothing wrong, so you’re just jealous or a really angry person tbh.” Another, allegedly speaking on behalf of group, wrote: “Last night, Cristian gave us an amazing opportunity, and while we understand why people may be skeptical at first, you wouldn’t pass an offer that your favourite pro was giving you. “We don’t want to seem like we’re better than anyone else but the reason us and a small handful of others got chosen is because we’ve been supporting Cristian from the start.” They insisted Cristian wasn’t “using them” to boost his online following but was rather doing them a “favour” and had also offered them the chance to attend a pre-record, though no one in the group could make it. A BBC Studios spokesperson said: “We are providing additional training and advice for our new pro cohort around our social media guidelines and personal ticket allocation policies. We take all issues of safeguarding extremely seriously on Strictly, and will always investigate any concerns that are raised.” Cristian is one of five new pros signed by the Beeb ahead of the new series, which launches next month. South African Lethabo Monametsi, Brit Maddie Ingoldsby, Canadian Mark Karmalita and Ukrainian Aleksandra Isaeva have arrived to freshen up the show after a cull saw legends like Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez depart. Rome-born dancer Cristian called being part of the show a “real privilege” and said he wanted to “embrace everything it has to offer”. He has danced in the UK before, reaching the final of the Blackpool Dance Festival and as a Rising Star Finalist at the UK Open. The new-look line-up follows a hosting shake-up that saw Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quit and be replaced by Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdicombe. Strictly has suffered a series of major scandals in recent years including a high-profile 2024 bullying row that resulted in Amanda Abbington receiving a five-figure pay out following her experience with ex-pro Giovanni Pernice. The BBC previously apologised to Amanda after a report upheld complaints of verbal bullying and dismissive language. While Graziano di Prima was axed the same year when it was revealed he kicked his celebrity partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals.