Star Avoids Charges After Rape Allegations Dismissed

A Strictly star who was arrested on suspicion of raping a woman following a event will not face criminal charges. 

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on October 13 and an investigation was launched by Hertfordshire Police.

The investigation has now been closed due to 'insufficient evidence', Hertfordshire Police have said. 

'This has been a really awful, hellish period for all parties. The man has been through hell and back, and just wants his name cleared now once and for all,' a source told The Sun.  

In a statement, Hertfordshire Police said: 'There will be no criminal charges brought against an individual arrested by Hertfordshire Constabulary in London on Monday 13 October 2025 on suspicion of rape.

'The man, who had his bail extended on Tuesday 6 January until today, Tuesday 7 April 2026, to allow further enquiries to take place, will face no further action.

'Early advice was sought from the Crown Prosecution Service, but detectives determined that there was insufficient evidence to bring forward criminal charges.'

Daily Mail has contacted Hertfordshire Police for comment. 

The arrest was the latest scandal to hit the BAFTA-winning programme. It came just three months after another unnamed male star was arrested on suspicion of rape. 

In August, police said a man was arrested on suspicion of rape and for possessing 'non-consensual intimate image abuse'. 

That Metropolitan Police investigation remains ongoing. 

Strictly has been plagued by scandal in recent years.

In 2024, bosses had to firefight a series of damaging allegations that called into question the integrity of the show, when Amanda Abbington accused former professional dancer Giovanni Pernice of 'abusive and cruel' behaviour in the 2023 series.

It prompted a forensic internal investigation costing some £250,000, which upheld some of Amanda's complaints, but not the most serious.

Professional dancer Graziano Di Prima was then sacked after admitting he had kicked his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during rehearsals for the same series.

The dance show was forced to bring in chaperones to watch over training sessions under the corporation's duty-of-care plans ahead of the 2024 series.

The measures also included a member of the production team being present during rehearsals at all times, and increased support for both celebrity contestants and the professional dancers. A celebrity welfare producer and a professional dancer welfare producer were also brought in.

Last year, contestant Wynne Evans was recorded making a sexualised remark at the Birmingham Arena as the contestants posed for a group photo for the Strictly tour. He was consequently dropped as a radio presenter by the BBC.

In February, BBC bosses cleared two stars of alleged cocaine use after a complaint was made by former contestant .

The corporation launched an investigation into the show and hired an external legal firm to carry out the probe last summer, following the accusation.

Now the programme has been given the all-clear after no evidence was found to support Wynne's claim.

A Strictly source said last month: 'The BBC took the claim made by Wynne very seriously, so much so that they funded an external inquiry so that no stone was left unturned.

'But the investigation is now over and it's back to business as usual. Strictly has a clean bill of health, despite Wynne appearing to throw allegations at it. Now everyone involved in Strictly is looking forward to a fantastic, clean and new start later this year.'

Bosses will be relieved at the news as it comes while they are looking for two presenters to replace hosts and , who stood down at the end of last year.

There were concerns that the toxicity surrounding the programme may have put off potential stars to anchor the long-running show.

Wynne's accusation of alleged drug use was made in a legal submission to the BBC in March last year by the law firm Russells.

The singer, who was partnered with dancer Katya Jones in the 2024 series, made the allegation after he was kicked off the Strictly tour in January 2025