BBC issues new statement as Strictly phone vote row rumbles on

People are not happy!

The BBC has shared a statement after Strictly Come Dancing came under fire after scrapping the phone vote for the 2025 series.

The glitzy BBC One show is well underway, with fans now unable to vote via phone for the first time in the show’s history. Uproar ensued when it was announced that the Beeb has axed premium rate phone voting.

Now, following weeks of backlash, the BBC has responded…

Fans were able to vote last year for winners Chris and Dianne on the phone (Credit: BBC)

Strictly phone voting scrapped for 2025 series

Last month, the BBC announced that phone voting for Strictly Come Dancing would be scrapped. Instead, fans wanting to vote for their favourite contestant have to create an account on the BBC website. Only then are they able to vote for their favourite couple.

Defending the decision at the time, the broadcaster said phone voting is an “outdated system and also expensive to run”.

They added: “Online voting has become the go-to choice for most viewers. In fact, the overwhelming majority of votes for the last Strictly series were cast online. And earlier this year, BT, the company that provided these phone services for the BBC, announced it would stop offering them in early 2025.”

We can now only vote for our favourite couples online (Credit: BBC)

Complaints pour in

Viewers and charities waded into the row. Dennis Reed, director of the campaign group Silver Voices, told The Telegraph: “Once again, the BBC is showing that it treats its loyal older viewers with contempt. Older people who are not online, but enjoy participating through phone polls, are being disenfranchised.”

Dennis continued: “This is a thinly concealed plot to force all viewers online and into iPlayer, in preparation for an early end of terrestrial TV, which the BBC is obsessed with achieving.”

Caroline Abrahams, charity director for Age UK, also agreed. She said: “Being unable to phone in to a BBC vote may seem trivial. But if you’re an older person who has enjoyed participating in this way and you aren’t online, it may feel like another hurtful example of the world moving on and leaving you far behind.”

Viewers, too, shared their views. They feel the decision ostracises those not confident when it comes to using smartphones and the internet.

One said: “Why did Strictly abandon the phone in voting? So many cannot vote without internet access or indeed ability.” Another added: “Getting rid of the voting by phone is so wrong.” A third said: “You have just alienated a huge part of your audience. I cannot imagine my elderly mother, and thousands like her, able to log on to register a vote on her favourite programme.”

Thomas Skinner was the first celeb out this year (Credit: BBC)

BBC shares new statement

However, now the Beeb has shared a new statement. And it has doubled down on the fact that the decision wasn’t one that was in its hands.

“We understand that the changes to the premium-rate phone vote are disappointing for some viewers. We know fans of Strictly who like to vote by phone will be impacted. And it’s not something we would have chosen.

“The decision to discontinue such services was made by BT, who previously supplied this to service providers working with the BBC and other broadcasters. We have carefully explored phone voting alternatives that would be in line with Ofcom regulations, including ensuring that the Strictly vote is timely and reliable.

“Unfortunately, no viable replacement is available. And so voting will now take place online for all BBC programmes. Online voting is already the most popular method on BBC shows, with the majority of votes in the last series of Strictly cast this way.”