2 weeks Ago By Harry Rutter
Strictly Come Dancing fans are gearing up for another elimination during Sunday night's instalment, but some are already well aware of who's going home. Leaks are shared ahead of the pre-recorded goodbye, but how exactly is it done? The episodes aired on the BBC are actually pre-recorded, with an audience sworn to secrecy before the exit is unveiled to the general public. But not everyone is able to keep their mouth shut and reveal their findings to online blog The Strictly Spoiler.
Created by Dave Thorp, the telly superfan has been publishing the show's results for years, way before the BBC announcements. With sometimes half-a-million viewers on his website, Mr Thorp runs it with the help of donations via PayPal and Patreon. He's now opened up about the ins and outs of running the sneaky page, and reveals that Strictly bosses have even tried to shut him down.
"There was one occasion in 2015 when [the BBC ] claimed the Facebook page that I operate infringed upon their trademarks and got Facebook to temporarily take it down," he told Metro.co.uk.
"I appealed that, and the BBC relented and got Facebook to restore the page," he explained. Mr Thorp started his controversial blog back in 2012, and by 2014 he claims the interest was "crazy" - and its led to more insider "moles". On how he gets the spoilers, Dave told Metro: "There are a couple of other sources I work quite closely with, such as Facebook groups.
Normally, between us we have one, two, maybe three moles in the audience, so it’s quite easy to verify the information that one of us gets against what another mole is saying and then confirm it that way. "With regards to sourcing moles, I have quite a wide social reach now with about 35,000 people on my Facebook page, so I’ll put an appeal out and someone will get in touch if they have audience tickets," he explained. Occasionally there may be a delay, and it's at that point that Mr Thorp relies on his "backup moles", with spoilers then being uploaded on the Sunday morning.
He keeps identities hidden and posts anonymously across social media. He runs adverts on his website which can apparently cost up to £750 per month to run. "This kind of is my job.
For the rest of the year, I’m studying software engineering at university," he added. "The attention has been thrust upon me, as this wasn’t something I deliberately set out to do; it just accidentally happened and has been snowballing ever since." After he was contacted by the BBC to close down the blog, Mr Thorp says it hasn't stopped him pursuing spoilers.
Speaking of the 2015 incident, he told the paper: "That was literally the last time I had any contact with them. I think they’re just happy to maintain the status quo now." Seemingly unstoppable, he reckons the only thing that could shut down StrictlySpoiler is if the BBC started to run the results show live.
"I think the last time the BBC ran live results on Strictly was 2009, so that’s probably not on the cards. "I think the BBC just accepts that if you’re prerecording something the day before it goes out, it’s going to leak, unfortunately." Not everyone agrees with his online antics, but Mr Thorp says his leaks 'ease viewers' anxiety' ahead of Sunday night's show.
It comes as fans have been left shocked by the latest Strictly elimination, which spread on social media on Saturday night. One fan said: "The StrictlySpoiler is truly shocking omg." Another added: "Strictly spoiler has me a little mad here.
" Strictly Come Dancing results air at 7.20pm tonight on BBC One and BBC iPlayer..
