‘Strictly Come Dancing’ professional Aljaž Škorjanec has backed calls for same-sex couples to be introduced on the show.
The dancer has said he would be open to dancing with a male celebrity and hopes to still be on the show if and when the changes are made.
The BBC has been under increasing pressure to allow same-sex couples to compete, with a number of the ‘Strictly’ team also speaking out about the matter.
Aljaž is the latest star to do so, telling HuffPost UK: “I’ve never actually spoken about it that much, but I’m always going to come in and do the best job I can. It doesn’t matter who it is or what sex they are.
He continued: ″‘Strictly’ has been so successful because it has been the same for the last 14 years and the formula hasn’t changed, so we all trust the producers 100%.
“It’s one of the few shows on television that is done with a positive thought behind it. If they do decide to go down that road, it will be with the most positive intention, so we will follow their lead.
“Hopefully we will be there when it does happen.”
Aljaž’s current partner, former ‘Emmerdale’ star Gemma Atkinson, also added her voice to the debate, but her opinion slightly differed.
She said: “I’m not a pro dancer, but for ‘Strictly’ to get any better, I don’t think that needs to happen - people know it’s 2017 and know people are in same-sex marriages and partnerships.
“I think putting two people on the dancefloor of the same sex isn’t going to wake people up any more. If it does, then there’s a problem. We should be open to that anyway.”
Earlier this year ‘Strictly’ bosses issued a statement claiming there were “no plans” to deviate from the “traditional format of mixed-sex couples” in the immediate future.
It has been a topic of conversation among the stars of the show, with fellow professional Anton Du Beke previously shared his concerns about how having same-sex couples would affect the scoring, but judge Craig Revel Horwood has called for them to be introduced.
During the interview, Gemma also addressed press coverage about her personal life, amid rumours of a romance with professional dancer Gorka Marquez.
While no mention of any relationship was made, she admitted she has been avoiding reading about herself in the papers.
“I don’t find [media attention] distracting because, without sounding horrible, we don’t pay attention. Everyone in this group knows what’s going on and we know we have a job to do. Anything outside of that and our control,” she explained.
“We said from day one, every time we do a dance, some people will love it, some people will hate it. Every interview, some people will get it, others won’t. We have to have our blinkers on to everything except the dance.”
Aljaž added: “If you are in the competition and you are rehearsing as much as you can, the last thing you have time to do is read about it. If you have time for it, you’re not rehearsing enough.”
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ continues on Saturday at 6.50pm on BBC One.
