Duncan Craig, founder and CEO of Survivors Manchester, said that if this remark had been said to a female contestant by a man, “there would be absolute outrage, and quite rightly so.”

He added: “I think we have to say it’s a double standard and I think it sometimes feels like it’s an uncomfortable thing to say, but the double standard is really harmful.”

Mr Craig said there was “a sort of acceptability when it comes from a male to a male, or it comes from a female to a male,” and that this is what needs to be tackled.

“I’d be interested to see what people said if it was a straight male saying it to a male contestant, would they see something different, would they see it as being predatory, or would they say it in the same way as people often present that kind of thing – the camp TV presenter or TV judge saying it,” he added.

Complaints about gender discrimination

A review of audience complaints to Ofcom found that out of the 113 complaints made about Strictly since April 2017, six fell into the category of gender discrimination and offence.

However, examples are not limited to this year alone, with Mr Revel Horwood telling male contestant Kevin Fletcher in 2019: “Well you’re obviously in touch with yourself darling. We can certainly see that. It was full of machismo which I loved. It oozed masculinity. It was filth.”

Peter Tatchell, a prominent gay rights campaigner, said that “supposedly harmless banter” can sometimes convey “a whiff of sexism and homophobia”.

“Cheap, smutty gags are no substitute for intelligent wit and astute judging of the male dancers.

“I’m all in favour of free speech, but the sexual objectification and innuendo directed at the Strictly men is tawdry and unnecessary,” he added.