Dancing On Ice's Vanessa Bauer breaks silence on show's new 'anti-bullying' hotline

ok.co.uk:

Dancing On Ice's Vanessa Bauer has opened up about the new support measures ITV is implementing for the 2025 series, in the wake of Strictly Come Dancing's recent bullying scandal involving Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington.

An investigation that also resulted in Graziano Di Prima being sacked left the BBC dance show under scrutiny. Now, it seems DOl celebs can look forward to extra care with a promised 24-hour helpline and their own dedicated producers monitoring welfare.

Speaking to The Sun about this positive change, Vanessa, who's partnered with Love Island hunk Chris Taylor, said: "We were all made aware, all the girls were made aware and the celebrities, that there's a helpline that we can call at any time of the day, every single day." She continued: "So we are very well looked after at ITV," noting "It is comforting to know and I'm putting myself out there - I think it's very necessary." Sources have stressed the priority ITV places on contestant welfare, clearly eager to avoid a repeat of Strictly's troubles. "They will have access to a 24-hour hotline manned by professionals to raise concerns about any bullying or to get help with their mental health.", reports the Mirror.

ITV stressed that their comprehensive welfare protocols had been a staple on the show for years and what is being seen now is "expanded upon as opposed to us introducing something completely new".