In a move praised by animal rights advocates, Strictly Come Dancing has revealed it will stop using real feathers in its costumes.
Following an appeal by PETA highlighting the cruelty inherent in the feather industry, the show has confirmed that it has “increasingly [been] moving away from real feather use over the last few seasons” and now focuses on using faux feathers instead.
Sarah James, the show’s Executive Producer, said that even the feathers used this season, which would normally be reused, are unlikely to be used again.
This decision highlights the show’s commitment to completely removing real feathers.
PETA has asked that the feathers from Strictly’s wardrobe be donated to its feather amnesty campaign, where they will be put to good use for educational displays at fashion colleges, eye-catching protests, and other awareness campaigns.
“Behind every feather fashion item is a once-living bird who was shocked, slaughtered, and violently plucked for their plumage,” says Yvonne Taylor, PETA’s Vice President of Corporate Projects.
“PETA applauds Strictly Come Dancing for putting its best foot forward and quickstepping cruelly obtained feathers off the show, and is excited to see the exclusively faux feather costumes it unveils in 2025.”
In their natural environments, birds like ostriches live vibrant lives, forming social bonds, nurturing their young for up to three years, and living for over four decades.
But in the feather industry, ostriches as young as one year old are restrained, electrically stunned, and slaughtered. Often feathers are torn from their bodies while they are still warm.
Other birds fare no better – peacocks, pheasants, emus, turkeys, and chickens all endure miserable lives on crowded farms and painful deaths so that their feathers can be used for fashion.
Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community hereand get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Strictly Come Dancing’s decision comes after the Victoria's Secret Show had exclusively used faux feathers. As well as a PETA awareness campaign led by feather-free designer Stella McCartney, which other designers such as Felder, Richard Malone, Patrick McDowell, and VIN + OMI, among others, have already signed.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletterhere.
English (US) ·