BBC bosses have cleared two Strictly stars of alleged cocaine use after a complaint was made by former contestant Wynne Evans.

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 Mr Evans’s claim.

A Strictly source said: ‘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 Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, 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.

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

Mr Evans, 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 following The Mail on Sunday’s revelation he had made a lewd comment to former professional dancer and host of Strictly’s It Takes Two, Janette Manrara.

His comments were made when Strictly stars came together for a photocall to launch the tour.

Last November, an unnamed Strictly star was arrested on suspicion of rape.

The alleged victim was not a contestant or professional dancer, but had met the man due to his participation in the competition and said she was raped at a BBC event.

Strictly was also embroiled in a row between Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington in 2023 when the actress accused her Italian partner

of verbal bullying and abusive behaviour, though an inquiry cleared him of the most serious allegations.

The BBC declined to comment.