Dame Darcey Bussell has sensationally quit BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing as a judge - because apparently she didn’t get a £40,000 pay rise. According to The Sun, the star made the decision because she was embarrassed by the show’s “soap opera” scandals and wanted a higher salary.
An insider told the paper, ‘Darcey felt she deserved to be on par with the rest of the judges, especially after the recent series scored such high ratings.’ They also added that she was fed up the Strictly curse -such as Seann and Katya’s kiss last year - and Bruno Tonioli’s behaviour. They added, 'Behind the scenes she was secretly becoming fed up with "the Bruno show" and felt the dynamic between the judges changed after Craig’s jibes at Shirley Ballas’s cosmetic surgery. The atmosphere was never the same. She also hated the never-ending rumours surrounding the pros dating celebrity partners.'
However, disputing these claims, in a statement, the ballerina said, ‘It has been a complete privilege for me to be part of Strictly, working with such a talented team. I have enjoyed every minute of my time and will miss everyone from my fellow judges, the presenters, the dancers, the musicians, the entire backstage team, and especially the viewers of the show, who have been so supportive. I am not leaving because of any upset or disagreement at all, I am just stepping away to give more focus to my many other commitments in dance, after seven truly wonderful years that I can't imagine having gone any better.'