Category: Site News

It’s a sorry state of affairs that I am having to write another one of these especially after a relatively quiet period for several years where the press is concerned but here we are.

Articles have appeared in the press over the weekend based on an article in the Mail On Sunday suggesting the BBC are hunting for the mole providing the spoiler. Complete and utter fiction up there with the best works of Bronte, Dickens and Rushdie. The BBC know full well who I am. They know full well that it isn’t just one mole leaking the results but a series of moles in the audience. I’ve had discussions with the BBC on this very topic in 2015 so it’s doubtful they don’t still have a record of these discussions and their contact with me over email then.

However that isn’t the purpose of this post. Some more serious issues have arisen that need to be addressed with the media and I need to make my position on these matters quite clear.

At approximately 2pm today I left my house to leave for university and headed to my normal bus stop. I sadly just missed a bus which may have avoided this sorry saga. A few minutes after getting to the bus stop I was approached by a gentleman who asked if I was David Thorp which I confirmed and then they identified themselves as a freelance reporter for the daily mail. They then in a brief discussion for 5 minutes or so asked me some questions about this site and the work that I do. I answered with fairly stock answers which are contained elsewhere on this website and the encounter was concluded shortly after.

An article has now appeared on the mail website following this interview of which there are the following issues:

1. It would seem the reporter had an accomplice with a zoom lens as a photograph of me was captured whilst I was waiting at the bus stop. Whilst I am fully aware this is not illegal from the photography degree I studied in the past I still consider this an invasion of my privacy
2. The article in question makes reference to my house having a value of £70k. This is a further invasion of my privacy as whilst I had established they had been near my home I didn’t realise they had established my exact home. If anything the value of £70k also shows I am not getting rich from this and is also irrelevant because I rent my home from a housing association
3. The article also included information and images of my wife who is nothing to do with The Strictly Spoiler and whose privacy has also been invaded (possibly more so)

In 2018 I implemented a media policy designed to eliminate the crap being said about me and this website in the press by preventing the quoting of material from this website. Clearly someone at the Daily Mail didn’t get the memo as I have counted 3 online or offline articles containing copyrighted content from this website without an appropriate acknowledgment of the source of this content in the last week. As such the Daily Mail will be being invoiced for their use of this content at my standard rate of £500 per use shortly. They will also be receiving a complaint from my wife concerning the use of her image in their article in due course.

Please also be advised that I will be increasing my standard rate to £1000 effective immediately and this will cover any articles published after this notice has been.

Furthermore please be advised that if any members of the press approach me in the street (or elsewhere) again, take photos of me without my consent or come to my home (which is littered with CCTV both on my property and others in the neighbourhood) this will be considered an act of harassment under the protection from harassment act and damages will be sought. The same applies to any member of my family including my wife

Should the media seek a comment from me on any of my content or activities I can be reached on my social channels or by email to daveATstrictlyspoiler.com

Complaints to the Daily Mail (and probably at some point others)

It’s been a long time coming, partly due to some sadly necessary requirements to scale the competition back due to the cost of living crisis and the effect it is having on my advertising revenue (currently down 50% on 2021) but the competition is finally here and there’s not one but two chances to win each and every spoiler week.

Discussion Competition

This will run from midnight Saturday until midnight the following Saturday each and every week there is a spoiler (or a reasonable expectation that there will be a spoiler that week). One comment will be selected at random from all the comments received that week on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and will win a £20 Amazon UK Voucher. On Twitter be sure to tag @davejthorp in your comment and include the hashtag #StrictlySpoiler for your entry to be seen and counted.

The competition will not run any weeks where the results show is live which includes the final week and possibly some other weeks where the show is disrupted by the FIFA World Cup. This may change at my discretion.

Password Competition

This will run from the moment the spoiler is posted and will run up until the start of the not live results show. Each week there will be a password cunningly concealed within the content of the spoiler post and a post will go out on all 3 social networks for you to submit your entries. Simply reply with the password and #StrictlySpoilerComp for your chance to win a £20 Amazon UK Voucher.

Again this will only run on spoiler weekends however that may change at my discretion.

Boring Legal Bit

1. The competition will run from 1st October 2022 until 16th December 2022 inclusive and is open to all UK and ROI residents barring any close friends or family members of the promoter.
2. There are two £20 Amazon UK vouchers up for grabs each spoiler week
3. For the avoidance of doubt a spoiler weekend is classed as any weekend where the results show is prerecorded and broadcast on a different day to the main show
4. Entry is by the methods described above and must include the tagging of profiles on twitter and the use of applicable hashtags on all networks
5. Entrants must be liking or following the respective social profiles for their entry to count
6. On the closing of the entry period a social network will be selected by a random process determined by the promoter and a winning entrant selected at random from all entries on that network.
7. The promoter will undertake checks to ensure a winning entry complies with the terms and conditions including checking that they like/follow the required profiles and comply with the residency requirements before awarding a prize. In the event that an entry does not comply with the terms and conditions a redraw on the same social network will take place
8. Winners will be contacted on the social network their entry was made on and will have 7 days from the time they are contacted to provide any information required required to fulfil their prize. Should a winner not respond in time their prize may be forfeit and will not be offered to another participant
9. Prizes will be paid out in batches. Any prize won in October will be paid out by the end of November. Any prize won in November will be paid by the end of December. Any prize won in December will be paid out by the end of January 2023
10. Any personal information provided will be processed in accordance with GDPR and only shared with Amazon for the purposes of delivering a prize
11. The promoter reserves the right to amend these terms should it become necessary for reasons outside of his control
12. This competition is promoted by Dave Thorp t/a The Strictly Spoiler (https://www.strictlyspoiler.com)

This was announced on Facebook and Twitter last night but for those who missed it The Strictly Spoiler has just launched on Instagram adding a 3rd social network to its profile. The Strictly Spoiler can now be found on the following official social networking profiles

Facebook

The official Facebook page for The Strictly Spoiler can be found here

Twitter

The official Twitter profile for The Strictly Spoiler is my own personal twitter account @davejthorp. Beware of less reliable imitations operating under similar names to this site!

Instagram

The brand new for 2022 Instagram profile for The Strictly spoiler can be found here

To celebrate the launch of the Instagram profile there is a competition running on there to win a £10 Amazon UK voucher this weekend so be sure to check that out and get involved with that.

A few people on Facebook/Twitter expressed concerns that I’d be abandoning those platforms having launched on Instagram. Instagram will be operated alongside the existing social media platforms and there will be zero change for those of you on Facebook or Twitter as content will continue on those platforms so please don’t worry. I’m just giving myself more work to do during the live shows so yay for me!

We’re a matter of weeks away from the contestant reveals which usually kick off late July/early August and I’ll be bringing the latest news as it comes in right here at the home of The Strictly Spoiler as well as on the social networks. Also keep posted as the largest competition I’ve run will be kicking off and Instagram will be involved just like Facebook/Twitter. There will be a massive £750 Amazon Voucher up for grabs this year but only the brave will take home the big prize. Last year Debbie on Twitter turned down £20 to win £500 and it could be you who has to make that choice when the 2022 series kicks off proper. Full details coming in the next few weeks!

We’re coming into season and last series operating this site cost me in excess of £3000 in hosting costs. If you are able to please consider helping me out with these costs by making a one time donation using THIS LINK (make sure to click send and not request) or the button below. Please only do so if you can afford to do so, especially in the current cost of living crisis and there is no obligation on anyone to help me out this way.

Or for the truly impatient amongst you why not join the crew on Patreon. For less than the price of a coffee a month you gain access to the spoiler in an ad free form and also will gain access to the results of the exit poll providing the earliest indication as to how the dance off has gone each week minutes after The BBC vote closes and hours before the spoiler or any other spoiler source.

No energy switches for the time being as the general advice for most during the energy crisis is to stay put. Instead why not earn cash back towards your mobile phone bill on your every day shopping. Sign up to Airtime Rewards using promo code 6T7W9L6X, link your credit/debit card and any time you shop at participating retailers you will automatically earn cash back which can be credited towards your mobile phone bill on most major UK networks