Scandal-hit Thomas Skinner looks glum on his way to the pub ahead of Strictly launch show

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Thomas Skinner was spotted looking glum today as he headed to a local pub with two friends, just hours before the BBC competition makes its glittering return.

The Apprentice star, 34, whose personal life has been a talking point over recent days, kept things casual in a sporty outfit of black shorts and a matching polo shirt.

The sighting comes at the end of a turbulent week for the TV star. Skinner recently made headlines after abruptly walking out of a Strictly press day at Elstree Studios before later admitting he cheated on his wife just days after their wedding in 2022.

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The Essex father-of-three has not shied away from discussing his troubled past. In a recent interview with The Times, he admitted to a conviction in 2012 for handling stolen goods.

He was convicted after being caught with £40,000 worth of Body Shop products and diazepam tablets. Skinner received a suspended sentence and 300 hours of community service, which he partly served at a Cancer Research warehouse.

“I’ve made mistakes,” he told The Times. “But the punishment forced me to turn my life around.” He credits his wife Sinéad with encouraging him to appear on The Apprentice in 2019, which helped him build a large social media following during lockdown.

When it comes to Strictly, Skinner has insisted he is not in it for the pay check, sharing: “I’m getting ten grand for Strictly but seriously, I’d do it for a tenner. It’s an absolute honour.”

However, he recently attracted scandal again before even stepping foot on the show as he admitted to having an affair with Essex beautician Amy-Lucy O’Rourke shortly after marrying Sinéad in 2022.

“It was nothing more than a two-week fling,” he told The Sun. “I woke up feeling absolutely terrible about it. I told my wife because I felt so guilty. I let her down, and I’m lucky she forgave me.”

However, Amy-Lucy has disputed Skinner’s version of events, insisting they had a three-month romance that was far more serious than a fleeting fling.

She told the Mail Online : “He insisted his relationship with her was a sham and they weren’t really in love. He said he’d never told Sinéad he loved her and had never felt about anyone how he felt about me.”

According to Amy-Lucy, Skinner often called her late at night, messaged her constantly, and even told her she was “the love of his life.” She also claimed he spoke of marriage, telling her while looking in the mirror: “Look, we’ll be Mr and Mrs Skinner one day.”

She added: “We were originally friends but with his sweet-talking and his lies, he made me believe we were in love and that we were perfect for each other.”

The scandal does not seem to have significantly affected his marriage, as Thomas and Sinéad were recently spotted enjoying a Chinese buffet together with their children.

The businessman is also still part of this year's Strictly Come Dancing line-up, in spite of his indiscretions. Writing on Twitter (X) this morning, he told his fans: "Happy Saturday you lovely people! Tonight my Strictly Come Dancing Journey starts on the tele! I’ve been working very hard in the training room with my wonderful partner and I’m looking forward to being part of this epic dancing journey.

"Today I’ve gotta do a few mattress deliveries this morning, gonna watch West Ham hopefully beat Palace and then looking forward to watching it on the tele from 6.40pm tonight on BBC with my little family and our friends. Been a mad old week…..But we keep on going. I promise you I’m gonna try my hardest to show the world I can dance. Have a a wonderful day everyone and keep on going. Bosh."

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