Strictly speaking, the judge demands that the BBC immediately publish the results of the scandal investigation

Strictly Come Dancing's Craig Revel Horwood called on the BBC to quickly publish the results of an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of celebrity contestants on the show. The outspoken judge pointed out that this was not an isolated case and stressed that other broadcasters were facing similar challenges.

The BBC spent three months investigating allegations of bullying in the rehearsal room. The trigger was a complaint against professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, who has since denied any wrongdoing. Despite the lengthy investigation, the conclusions of the report are still being kept secret. Craig, 59, expressed his impatience: “We want the results sooner rather than later.”

However, he was quick to point out: “It's not just the BBC, is it? The BBC is in the public eye because of its public funding. ITV has the same problems.”

Following the controversy, which also involved complaints from actress Amanda Abbington, who worked with Giovanni during their time on the show, the BBC has implemented stricter safety measures for its stars, including requiring a supervisor to be present in training rooms “at all times,” the Mirror reports.

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In a statement last month, the BBC said: “The BBC is today announcing further steps to strengthen welfare and support on Strictly Come Dancing. There have been concerns over recent months, largely relating to training and rehearsals, and the measures announced today are designed to address these.” The measures also include the appointment of a celebrity welfare producer and a professional dancer welfare producer, as well as further training for the production team and crew.

Praising the move, Craig said: “All I can say is, firstly, chaperones are a good idea. And secondly, thank God things have changed. I had a Russian ballet teacher who would use a stick to get us to lift our legs higher.” The former judge acknowledged that times had changed, explaining: “You couldn't do that today. A choreographer can't even touch a dancer's arm to get it in the right place, but at least everyone feels protected.”

Speaking to the Times magazine, he expressed his confidence in the show's ability to weather the storm, saying: “It's a wonderful show that runs in 61 countries. Yes, I want to know the results of the inquiry. Let's see what problems need to be addressed. But let's not forget the great joy it brings.”

As Strictly prepares to start filming its new series next month, the full celebrity line-up has been revealed, including DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles, Olympic swimmer Tom Dean, singer Toyah Willcox, former TOWIE star Pete Wicks and Love Island star Tasha Ghouri (26).