has defended the ’s decision to blur the words “” on her T-shirt during .
The House of the Dragon actor addressed the controversy in an interview with , saying she understood why the broadcaster had removed the slogan from footage shown on the programme.
She said, “The BBC had to do what they had to do when they edited it out, to keep it fair for everybody.
“But I stand with my trans family in every way, and they knew what I was thinking when I wore that T-shirt. And that’s all that matters.”
When was Bethany Antonia’s “Protect The Dolls” T-shirt edited from Strictly?
The edit was spotted during the third week of the 2026 series, when Antonia and her professional dance partner, Nancy Xu, performed an American Smooth.
Footage of the pair rehearsing showed Antonia wearing a white T-shirt, with the slogan blurred out in shots where the wording would otherwise have been visible. The same slogan had appeared clearly in a rehearsal video shared by the BBC on social media before the episode aired on 10 October.
The broadcaster subsequently explained that the decision was in line with its existing editorial guidelines.
“Appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present” – the BBC in a statement
A BBC spokesperson said: “As is standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC and in line with our editorial guidelines, appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question.”
What does “Protect The Dolls” mean?
“Protect The Dolls” is a slogan associated with support for transgender women. The phrase gained wider recognition in 2025 after fashion designer Conner Ives created a T-shirt bearing the words, with proceeds from its sale going to charity. The design has since been worn by several celebrities, including Pedro Pascal and Tilda Swinton.
The word “dolls” has been used within LGBTQ+ communities to refer to transgender women, with its roots in the ballroom scene of 1980s New York.
Antonia is partnered with Xu in this year’s same-sex pairing on .