BBC Strictly Come Dancing footage featuring actress Bethany Antonia is being altered, after viewers say the programme edited out a T-shirt slogan supporting trans rights from her rehearsal material shown on the live broadcast and BBC iPlayer.
Reports say the message was “Protect The Dolls,” and that its removal prompted online criticism and a wider debate about censorship and editorial rules. The outlets also note that the BBC has “strict editorial guidelines,” implying the broadcaster may have acted under established standards for broadcast content rather than in response to the specific message.
While coverage varies in tone, all accounts focus on the same incident: the trans solidarity slogan appears in some earlier contexts but vanishes in BBC-presented footage. The BBC has acknowledged the issue publicly, with further details tied to how such guidelines are applied to on-screen text during rehearsals and broadcast packages.
