The BBC says there are no current plans to introduce same-sex couples to the format.

However, another of this year’s contestants, Rev Richard Coles (dancing with Dianne Buswell) previously said he’d had “a discussion” with the channel’s bosses about it, telling digitalspy.com: “It makes absolutely no sense that anybody resists the idea, in principle.

“It’s just a question of doing it. I think this year would be a good year to do it actually, with the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act.”

A spokesperson for the BBC said: “Strictly has chosen the traditional format of mixed-sex couples and at the moment we have no plans to introduce same-sex couples in the competition.”

Calman has previously proved herself more than adept at dealing with trolls online, responding to homophobic comments with acerbic one-liners and explaining: “When a man calls me a bitch, or someone is homophobic I reply. Because this lesbian bitch ain’t standing for it.”

Strictly’s Susan Calman responds to ‘sexist’ LGBT backlash over dance partner