The BBC has defended its decision to remove a trans rights slogan from a broadcast of Strictly Come Dancing, insisting the edit was “in line with its editorial guidelines”.

House Of The Dragon star Bethany Antonia - who came out as gay in 2024 - wore a T-shirt with the slogan "Protect the Dolls" during rehearsals with dance partner Nancy Xu, in an Instagram video shared on Friday.

Protect The Dolls is a message expressing support for transgender women, who are commonly known as "dolls" within the LGBTQ+ community.

The motif was censored out during Saturday’s episode, instead showing Antonia in a plain white T-shirt as she practiced her American Smooth.

A BBC spokesperson stated: "As is standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC and in line with our editorial guidelines, appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question."

Viewers blasted the “shameful” decision to censor the slogan, with one writing: “Abhorrent that the BBC deleted pictures of Bethany Antonia wearing a T-shirt with those words printed on it!”

“The BBC is captured by ‘gender critical’ transphobes and is desperate to erase any sort of support for trans people! #Censorship,” another added.

“The decision to digitally scrub the ‘Protect the Dolls’ slogan from Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt during Strictly Come Dancing is a shameful and cowardly act of censorship,” a third posted.

Someone else commented: “Ironically the phrase originated in the ballroom scene decades ago. It’s genuinely pathetic that the BBC refuses to allow anything remotely pro-trans to air. Love Bethany even more though.”

A T-shirt bearing the slogan, created by designer Conner Ives, has also been worn by high-profile stars such as Pedro Pascal, Tilda Swinton and singer Troye Sivan.

All proceeds from the sale of the t-shirt, which costs £75, are donated to UK charity Not A Phase, which offers programmes, events and support spaces for the trans community.

The controversy comes days after Antonia shared her pride at being in a same-sex coupling on Strictly, having been partnered with Xu in the show’s third all-female pairing.

"It was so important to me to make sure that if I did it, I got to do it with a woman," she said.

Antonia was inspired after watching former contestant Nicola Adams compete with dancer Katya Jones in 2020.

"When I watched Nicola and Katya do it for the first time and be the first same-sex pairing, I wasn't out to everyone in my life. Watching them do the show... made it so much easier for me to have that conversation with people in my life,” she explained.

She added that the experience has highlighted how important representation is in mainstream television.

"If I get to be a part of that story for one other person, one other girl… I've done my job,” the actress said.