By Bethany Whittingham,Tianna Corbin

Copyright dailystar

The BBC has recently rolled out a series of alterations to Strictly Come Dancing, which has sparked considerable backlash from viewers on social media. During Sunday’s (October 5) results programme, audiences witnessed a notably different voting mechanism in action. Instead of phoning in to support their preferred dancing duo, fans must now use a QR code displayed on screen to cast their votes digitally. Audiences are required to register for a BBC account or set up a new one at no cost to participate in the voting process. It’s safe to say the elimination of premium-rate telephone lines has provoked anger amongst devotees, with many incensed that it’s excluding a significant segment of the home viewing audience, reports the Express . The flagship broadcaster has now issued a response following the barrage of grievances it has faced regarding the axing of the reality programme’s phone voting facility. This comes after Amy Dowden and Thomas Skinner were eliminated first. They stated: “We understand that the changes to the premium-rate phone vote are disappointing for some viewers. We know fans of Strictly who like to vote by phone will be impacted, and it’s not something we would have chosen. “The decision to discontinue such services was made by BT, who previously supplied this to service providers working with the BBC and other broadcasters. We have carefully explored phone voting alternatives that would be in line with Ofcom regulations, including ensuring that the Strictly vote is timely and reliable. “Unfortunately, no viable replacement is available, and so voting will now take place online for all BBC programmes. Online voting is already the most popular method on BBC show,s with the majority of votes in the last series of Strictly cast this way.” The broadcaster added: “To support those new to online voting, clear instructions will be provided during the show. All you need to cast a vote is a free BBC account, which is quick and easy to set up. Full details are available on our ‘Get the Best out of the BBC’ page.” Following Strictly’s Instagram post featuring a detailed guide for the revamped voting system, numerous followers voiced their concerns about viewers who couldn’t participate online. One disappointed fan shared: “My nan has been a fan of Strictly for years and is not online at all. It’s really upset her as she loves to support her favourite couples each year.” Another expressed their frustration, saying: “Not everyone has internet access or the computer skills for this, particularly the older fans, of which I am sure that there are many. For a show that’s seemingly doing its best to promote inclusion, this makes that gesture feel quite performative.” A third viewer criticised the decision, adding: “This is a ridiculous change. Some people have been watching for 20 years and have no idea how to do anything online. You’re excluding a large amount of your audience for no reason.” Meanwhile, others maintained that this shift was inevitable and that numerous older viewers are completely current with modern technology. One user highlighted: “Every family member I have in that generation uses Facebook and WhatsApp to contact family and is a competent smartphone user; this tech has existed for nearly two decades now.” Another concurred: “People moaning about elderly people not being able to vote – my grandparents all use the internet over the age of 80 and 90 and no issues. Don’t understand the panic.” However, that wasn’t the sole alteration to the results programme, as they unveiled a completely fresh running order for the evening broadcast. Previously, the professional dancers kicked off proceedings with a group routine before revealing half of the outcomes. Prior to the final announcement of the cast results, Claudia presented the judges’ feedback and the musical performance before wrapping up with the feared dance-off and sending one pair home from the contest. Yet this year, bosses revamped the structure, launching instead with a recap of the previous evening’s programme, moving the group routine to the middle of the broadcast, and dividing the results portion into three segments rather than two. Viewers swiftly took to social platforms to express their displeasure. Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday on BBC One from 6:05pm.