STRICTLY star Layton Williams has slammed ‘cowardly trolls’ as he sent a warning after facing vicious abuse.
The West End star clinched the runner-up position in the Strictly final last Saturday after beating Bobby Brazier and his professional partner Dianne Buswell.
Layton, 29, took to X/Twitter to address the hate he’d received throughout his duration on the show.
He posted a gif of celeb chef Gordon Ramsay saying: “Oh f**k off”
The star added the caption: “And funnily enough no one has dared try me to my face. Coz your cowards hiding behind your phone.”
He then warned: “I’d low key respect it if you did but you’d get a good clap back. Shows done now I have time lol x.”
One fan replied and commented: “Layton! You and Nikita were beyond amazing.
“Rise above the hate, they are the ones with a problem and seriously not worth batting an eyelid for.”
Another added: “These pathetic cowards are just jealous of you babe because they know they will never be as fabulous and talented as you.”
A third penned: “I know it’s really hard but try not to rise to it, it bugs them more if you ignore them, you were fabulous don’t let anyone take that away from you.”
A fourth wrote: “You are a star Layton!!! Utterly fabulous!! And very stunning!!! They hide behind a screen as they are cowards, can’t say it to your face!! Jealous of you and your success!! You’ve got it all and enjoy!! You deserve babe!! love ya xxxx”
Because Layton had a musical theatre background, he was subjected to the show’s worst ever battering by trolls.
There have been calls for the show to change its recruitment policy with some claiming trained dancers have an “unfair advantage” and it’s a “fix”.
Layton frequently hit back at trolls and most recently, he replied to a string of mean tweets: “Luckily I have thick skin but it’s so draining that so called “Strictly fans” go out of their way to drag me down to lift others up.
“Their fave couples would be SO embarrassed by their comments & so should they. They’ll never dim my shine. Big love x.”
Ellie Leach and her pro dancer Vito Coppola won the show last week.
