Strictly's Anton to be 'guarded', say reports

Strictly's Anton to be 'guarded', say reports
Strictly's Anton to be 'guarded', say reports (Image credit: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke will be guarded during tonight's show in the wake of the attack on Leona Lewis, according to the papers. The Sun reports that the BBC is worried something similar could happen to Du Beke, following the controversy which erupted earlier this month when he said his dance partner Laila Rouass 'looked like a Paki' after a spray tan. A source said that the BBC was concerned about things "getting out of hand" "There are worries that someone may try and have a go, in light of what happened to Leona this week," the insider told the paper. "They are keen to keep things under control so their normal security team is separating into two. "Existing security will now be placed in undercover clothes in case anything kicks off this week. "They didn't realise how angry the public were about it at first, and want to take precautions in case there is any sort of mob atmosphere." Du Beke has apologised twice for the remark, saying it was a "stupid thing to do".

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.