Strictly Pros Fired for TikTok Popularity

0:00It's March 24th. From Hollywood to your headphones, this is Entertainment and Celebrity News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the Story. Strictly come dancing producers have made big cuts to their pro-dancer lineup, reportedly basing decisions on TikTok popularity to draw in younger viewers. Favorites like 43-year-old Karen Hower, 36-year-old Nadia Baishkova, 30-year-old Michelle Siakas, 36-year-old Luba, Moustuk, and 35-year-old Gorka Marquez all got axed in the shake-up. Dancers with massive online followings seem to have stayed safe. For example, Nadia has just 19,000 TikTok followers compared to 966,000 for Diane Buzzwell, who is also 36 and keeping her spot. But similarly, newcomer Alexis War, 25, with 190,000 followers, beat out Karen's 9122. Fans have been shocked by the losses, especially since Karen was the show's longest-serving

1:03dancer. She described her departure as stressful and emotional while sharing moments with her rescue dogs on social media. The changes extend to the spin-off show it takes two, where Fleur East, 38, and Jeanette Menrara 42, are reportedly out as bosses, revamped the format. This follows a series of scandals that rock the franchise. Insiders say the goal is a clean slate by September, refreshing the lineup and moving past the drama to broaden appeal across new audiences.