Thomas Skinner says he does not regret ‘right decision’ to join Strictly

Former Apprentice star Thomas Skinner has said he does not regret making the “right decision” to join Strictly Come Dancing.

Shortly after joining the show, the 34-year-old admitted to cheating on his wife just weeks after their wedding in an interview with The Sun, having previously apologised for picking up a journalist’s phone and walking out of a press event for the BBC dancing show midway through.

Asked if he would have changed his mind about Strictly had he known what would happen, Skinner told the Daily Mail: “Not really, though if I could change my wife being upset, then I would.

“But she hasn’t stopped smiling since I started Strictly, and that’s why I know I made the right decision to do it.”

The social media star, who is known for his “bosh” catchphrase, went on to say that his wife was “so invested in my Strictly journey”, and said she was “cracking up” at the thought of him dancing.

In the Sun interview, Skinner admitted to cheating on his wife Sinead in 2022, who he has three children with, with an “attractive” single mum who gave him a free cosmetic treatment after they met in a pub, named by the newspaper as Amy-Lucy O’Rourke, 35.

In the Mail interview, Skinner added: “It wasn’t difficult for me because I know the mistakes I’ve made in my life, but it was awful for my poor wife to read it all, and that’s why I feel bad.

“We had already moved on from this. I’m doing Strictly and I’m in the public eye now. My whole life has been dug up and regurgitated and my poor wife has to read something that she has moved on from.

“It took a long, long time for her to forgive me and we have worked at it. I will never say I’m perfect but it was hard seeing my wife relive all of this. But she said that it wouldn’t break us, it wouldn’t ruin us. She told me that she loves me to pieces and I love her.”

Skinner has been partnered with Welsh professional dancer Amy Dowden for the current series of Strictly, saying he was “over the moon” with the pairing on last week’s show.

He has previously drawn strong criticism for X posts saying it is “not far-right” to be “flying your flag and loving your country”, and complaining “it ain’t safe out there any more” in London, saying the city is “hostile” and “tense”.

Skinner met US vice president JD Vance for a barbecue and drinks earlier this year, with the star – who befriended US president Donald Trump’s number two on social media platform X – describing the event as “once in a lifetime”.

The Romford-born star will feature with Dowden as Strictly returns for its first live show of the current series at 6.55pm on Saturday on BBC One.