Reigning ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ winner Joe McFadden has hit back at reports that he missed this year’s launch show due to a feud with producers.

Earlier this month, Joe made headlines when he was the first ‘Strictly’ champion not to perform in the following year’s launch show, with some outlets claiming this was due to a disagreement with the people behind the scenes.

However, appearing on Thursday’s ‘Loose Women’, he insisted this was not the case, claiming he had a prior commitment that he couldn’t get out of when the launch show was being filmed.

“[That’s] nonsense,” he said. “You don’t believe what you read in the papers – you shouldn’t.

“I was at my friend’s wedding in Glasgow, and actually Nigella [Lawson] was there that night. Richard Madden was there, he was doing a reading and I was singing.”

He then reiterated: “I was at a wedding – don’t believe what you read in the papers.”

This year’s series of ‘Strictly’ is now in full swing, with Joe’s former partner Katya Jones now performing with comedian Seann Walsh each week. 

Joe recently stuck up for the new crop of stars, after some ‘Strictly’ fans shared their disappointment with the calibre of celebrity on the new line-up, saying: “There is someone off ‘Casualty’, there is a presenter, there’s a Paralympian… it ticks every box for me.”

‘Strictly’ continues with the second of this year’s live shows on Saturday night, after which the first of the 15 couples will be given their marching orders.

‘Loose Women’ airs every weekday from 12.30pm on ITV.