JB Gill has firmly denied rumours of backstage tension during the Strictly Come Dancing tour.
The 38-year-old former JLS star’s comments come after several high-profile withdrawals from the tour sparked speculation about behind-the-scenes drama.
Wynne Evans was axed from the lineup after after directing a crude sexual remark to former pro and It Takes Two host Janette Manrara.
Fellow celeb contestants Pete Wicks and 2024 show winner Chris McCausland also pulled out of the tour.
The Strictly live show saw key stars drop out and Wynne Evans axed
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Strictly pro Vito Coppola also stepped down due to injury complications.
However, Gill insisted there was “never any sort of bad vibes or bad blood” among cast members while speaking with The Mirror.
The former JLS star described his experience on the live show as “nothing but positive” despite the setbacks.
Explaining the absences, JB said: “Of course, we didn’t have Chris because he wasn’t able to come and be part of the show. He was on tour already.”
Gill spoke up about ‘bad blood’ rumours on the Strictly live show
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He added that Pete Wicks “had some podcast commitments that he wasn’t able to get out of.”
Despite these changes, JB noted the tour still featured seven contestants in total.
“It was great. It was nice,” he reflected simply on the smaller group dynamic.
“I’ve been on tours before, and I’ve toured with the boys, JLS, and we’ve always tried to adhere to a very good and positive backstage vibe,” he said.
“I think it makes a massive difference when you’re on tour travelling with people every single day,” he continued.
Gill warned: “If it’s not a great atmosphere backstage, that can sometimes leak onto the stage.”
He added that good vibes behind the scenes were therefore “imperative” to success.
The 38-year-old’s first partner, Dowden, was forced to back out of the series after Halloween Week following a medical episode and injury.
Oakley stepped in as her replacement and helped Gill dance his was the the grand finale.