Thomas Skinner vows he won't be cancelled as new affair claim surfaces hours after Strictly debut

Thomas Skinner says he won’t be cancelled and insists his marriage is stronger than ever after admitting to an affair with a woman he met in a pub, just weeks before his debut on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. The former Apprentice contestant has been paired with Welsh ballroom professional Amy Dowden for the latest series, which returned to screen on Saturday.

The controversy surrounding Skinner has now intensified after new claims emerged that the fling lasted three months, a timeline that appears to contradict his earlier assertion that it was a one-off. Skinner took to X on Sunday, hours after taking the dance floor with Dowden for the first time, to push back against what he described as online harassment and political manipulation tied to a barbecue appearance he attended with JD Vance, the US political figure described by Skinner as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event. He said the attention had nothing to do with his show and insisted he would not be beaten down by the controversy.

Let me tell you this. I won’t be cancelled. I ain’t gonna kill myself like some of you want. I’m still here. I’m still standing. Trust me when I say this; I am stronger than people think. Every insult, every lie, every attack… it don’t break me, it builds me stronger. I built what I got from nothing. I Slept on a pull-out bed on the floor for years cus I never had a bedroom. Weirdos write rubbish on Wikipedia about my upbringing that ain’t true, but they can’t take away what I’ve built with graft & fight. They call me a grifter, but all I do is work. Day in, day out, graft. And yes, all the political parties have come knockin wantin me to work with them from both the left and right. But I ain’t got no interest in that. I’m not for them. I’m for the people. For the man or woman on the street who just wants to do better in life. For the parent working two jobs to keep the lights on. I get it. I live it. I know the struggles of life. I’m in a fight I can’t win, but I don’t give up.

Skinner posted more than a personal note about resilience, aiming to reframe the public scrutiny as a test of character rather than a career-ending blow. He has previously said he was drawn to Strictly as a platform to show a different side of his public persona, and he is now pushing back against what he calls a coercive online environment that has followed him through the weeks leading up to the show’s launch.

In a separate interview with the Sun on Sunday, Skinner described a previous relationship with Amy-Lucy O’Rourke, whom he identified as a single mother who reportedly provided him with a cosmetic treatment free of charge after they met in a pub. Skinner said his wife, Sinead, forgave him and that the couple remains committed to their family, underscoring how a short-lived lapse in judgment has become a high-profile focal point as he prepares for the televised competition.

Skinner’s public life has long been intertwined with his rise from The Apprentice to a broader media profile. He has described a “graft” mindset and a background of working-class hardship, including periods of financial struggle, which he says have informed his stance on political and social issues. He has also faced backlash online for attending a barbecue associated with JD Vance, a figure who has drawn criticism across political lines for his own controversial positions. Skinner characterized the Vance event as a personal networking opportunity rather than a political statement, and he stressed that he is not aligned with any party.

The new allegations come as Strictly Come Dancing recommences, with Skinner and Dowden taking to the dance floor for the first routine amid questions about the impact of his personal disclosures on the show’s reception. While the competition’s producers have not weighed in publicly, colleagues and fans have debated how much a public scandal should influence a contestant’s place in a long-running BBC program.

IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER

The episode underscored how a single public misstep can become a recurring storyline during a high-profile entertainment season, testing Skinner’s stated commitment to resilience and his ability to separate personal drama from professional obligations. As the series unfolds, viewers will see whether Skinner’s public defiance translates into continued support or if the evolving narrative reshapes expectations for his Strictly journey.