AJ Pritchard has spoken out about his time as a pro dancer on Strictly Come Dancing.
In a new interview, he’s told ED! that he found the show just as tough as Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins due to the “stress and pressure” that comes with such a high-profile series.
AJ was on Strictly from 2016 to 2019. A few years after he left, in 2022, he appeared on Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. The new series of the endurance show continues this weekend (January 18).
AJ Pritchard – with Dianne Buswell – was on Strictly from 2016 till 2019 (Credit: Splash News)
AJ Pritchard on ‘tough’ time on BBC dance show
Speaking on behalf of Paddy Power Games, we asked AJ if Celebrity SAS was the toughest show on the box, and if it was tougher than Strictly.
He told us: “They’re tough in very different ways. Strictly Come Dancing lasts months and comes with constant public judgment, media pressure and mental stress. SAS is short but incredibly intense.”
AJ then added: “If you struggle to block things out, Strictly can be mentally brutal over a long period. SAS hits you hard straight away. They’re just different kinds of tough.”
AJ found Strictly and SAS ‘tough in very different ways’ (Credit: Splash News)
Why did AJ leave Strictly?
The pro dancer announced he was leaving Strictly in March 2020. At the time, he said he wanted to go into TV presenting with brother Curtis. He also said: “I didn’t have a life and I wanted to be able to do more. I did have to turn down things in the past, which I was upset about sometimes, but I understood I was part of Strictly Come Dancing. Now I am going to pursue things I didn’t have the time for. It’s the right move.”
However, the pandemic struck, with TV production grinding to a halt, scuppering AJ’s plans. When restrictions lifted, Celebrity SAS came along. And he’s still living by lessons he learnt on the show today.
AJ took part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2022 (Credit: Channel 4)
‘SAS teaches you to decide quickly, commit to it and go’
“The thing I still stick to today is decision-making,” he said, four years after appearing on the show. “SAS teaches you to decide quickly, commit to it and go. I apply that to business and life all the time. Confidence in your choices is everything.”
He also addressed the number of recruits dropping out this year and told us: “I think background matters massively. Athletes who’ve trained through pain and setbacks are used to pushing through. Some people give different reasons every time they’re challenged, and that’s frustrating to watch.
“There’s also a generational thing. Some younger recruits know they can walk away and still be comfortable. Older recruits often just keep fighting until they physically can’t any more.”
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is on Sunday and Monday at 9pm on Channel 4.
The BBC has released a sneak peek of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special – and it’ll mark the final time we see Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman present the show.
Tess and Claudia announced the news on their own respective Instagram pages in October. However, the duo confirmed they will remain in place until the current series draws to a close.
This includes the upcoming Christmas Day special, which has been pre-recorded.
Claudia and Tess will front the show one last time on Christmas Day (Credit: BBC)
First look at Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Christmas Special
In a first look at the presenters on the Christmas special, both Tess and Claudia stick to a wintry, festive theme.
While Tess, 56, dons a white suit adorned with snow-like sequins, 53-year-old Claudia keeps things simple in a maxi length white dress.
The Strictly Come Dancing judges will match the hosts, with clips revealing the fantastic foursome also dressed all in white and silver shades.
It’ll be the professionals bringing the colour to proceedings. The pro dancers are dolled up in greens, pinks and reds as they perform a cracker of group number.
The judges will raise a toast for a fabulous Christmas special (Credit: BBC)
Who will be taking part in the Strictly Christmas special?
As always, the festive special will see a number of celebrities try their hand at Latin and ballroom routines. All will feature a Christmas theme.
Former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt will be taking to the floor, alongside singer Melanie Blatt. Rugby player and Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley will be joining them, as well as EastEnders actor Nicholas Bailey and comedian Babatunde Aléshé.
The pros and performers will add a splash of colour (Credit: BBC)
When will the Strictly Christmas special air?
The Strictly Christmas special will take place on Christmas Day at 5.30pm onwards.
With the feature-length special being Tess and Claudia’s final outing on the programme, expect surprises. But one thing’s for certain – get some tissues at the ready, as it’s going to be an emotional finale…
Strictly Come Dancing is over for another year. Footballer Karen Carney and her partner Carlos Gu have lifted the glitterball trophy! Yay!
And presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have waved goodbye to the Strictly ballroom for the final time.
They’ve presented the show together since Claudia joined the team in 2014, after presenting It Takes Two for many years, and Tess has been there since the start. So it’s a big change.
Not surprisingly, it was an emotional final. There were tears. There was laughter.
And we’re a bit sad that it’s all over.
But could Tess and Claudia’s departure be the opportunity Strictly needs to shake things up a bit?
Karen and Carlos were crowned the Strictly winners (Credit: BBC/Guy Levy)
Ringing the Strictly Come Dancing changes
We’ll always love Strictly, but there’s no denying that after two decades the show is feeling a little tired. It’s overly long, the VTs make us cringe and can we all just stop pretending that the results show is filmed on a Sunday?
Now Tess and Claudia have waved goodbye to the Strictly ballroom, things will be shaken up next year anyway, with the arrival of two new presenters.
But we’re not sure that’s enough to give it a proper revamp. We’d like to see Strictly Come Dancing make more changes to ensure it can keep bringing the sparkle for the years to come.
Nikita said it was his favourite Strictly moment and we totally agree! (Credit: BBC)
1 More dance challenges
We absolutely loved the Instant Dance Challenge this year. It was chaotic and hilarious and it really breathed life into one of the less exciting ‘middle’ weeks of the show.
So we definitely think that should stay.
In fact, we’d like more challenges scattered throughout the weeks to really liven things up.
Everyone knows the results show is filmed on Saturday (Credit: BBC)
2 Stop the pretence about the Sunday results show
We all know that the Sunday show is filmed straight after the Saturday live show. Every week the results leak online. Shall we just all stop pretending now?
There’s no denying the Saturday show is a bit long – who else fast forwards all the filler in between dances when catching up on iPlayer? So we think shorten the dancing show, and move the results to Saturday night, too. Like how The X-Factor used to do it.
In fact, we think this could be one of the most important Strictly Come Dancing changes we’d like to see!
Emma Barton danced in a tabard (Credit: BBC)
3 Ditch the cringe
We cringe our way through the VTs before each dance. Of course we like seeing the dancers training but that’s enough. We don’t need to see them visiting family, or catching up with friends, or doing silly skits. Cutting all that would save more than enough time to shift the Sunday show to Saturday.
And while we’re talking about cringe, can we also lose the awful themed dances in week one? The sight of poor Emma Barton, who plays Honey in EastEnders, dancing in a flowery MinuteMart tabard to Honey Honey by Abba, will haunt us forever.
All the Couple’s Choice dances are different (Credit: BBC)
More Strictly Come Dancing changes
4 Lose the couple’s choice
We don’t know what the couple’s choice is. We don’t like it. It used to work when they could choose a specific style of dance, such as musical theatre or street dance. But now it’s all bare feet and sob stories.
Sometimes it’s one thing – like Lewis Cope’s amazing Halloween dance this year, which just seemed to be about the joy of dancing.
Sometimes it’s something else entirely, like the K-Pop dance poor George Clarke was subjected to. Is he a huge K-Pop Demon Hunters fan? It seems unlikely, but perhaps we’re wrong.
Other times it’s about the dancer’s family, or something else more personal. It’s hard to work out what it’s supposed to be and that makes it hard to judge if it hits the spot.
So either make it a choice of a specific dance, or drop it completely, we reckon.
Theme weeks are fun but do they need mixing up? (Credit: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing changes
5 Theme weeks
We love Halloween, but we think the other theme weeks could be shaken up a bit. Movie Week, and Musicals Week seem interchangeable – do we need them both? Over the Pond in Dancing with the Stars they have all sorts of themes, including One-Hit Wonders Week, Tik-Tok Week – dancing to songs that went viral – and even Disney Week.
Would Amber and Nikita’s tango have been as good in week one? (Credit: BBC)
6 Go back to two dances a week
As dedicated armchair judges, it’s hard to compare dances when they’re all different. Back in the day, the Strictly contestants chose one of two dances to take on each week. It meant it was easier to compare them for us – it’s hard to compare a week one foxtrot to a week eight foxtrot.
And of course, it meant the judges could say exactly what they were looking for.
There’s no doubt that the judges’ scores have been – well, baffling is probably the word for it – this year. Having guidance about what they’re going to be judging each dance on would help us at home understand why they choose the marks they do.
Plus, let’s be honest, some dances are easier than other (we say, having not danced since an unsuccessful attempt at ballet class as a child). It always seems a shame to ‘waste’ a Tango in week one.
Bill Bailey was an unexpected winner (Credit: BBC)
What other Strictly Come Dancing changes do we want?
7 Cast the talent net wider
It must be hard to find Strictly contestants and get a good mix of men and women, plus a range of skills and talents. But we’d really like more of a spread of abilities next year. This year many people seem to have been at the same level. We like a Strictly ‘journey’ and unexpected stars, like Bill Bailey or Darren Gough.
The Strictly judges have receives backlash (Credit: BBC)
8 New pro dancers? Or judges?
We love the pros. We do. But perhaps it’s time for some new blood? And what about the judges? They’re good, but do they need shaken up a bit?
Swapping the judge with the casting vote each week was pointless. We’d rather have some guest judges sitting in.
During tonight’s (December 20) Strictly final, Karen Carney was crowned this year’s winner. And sadly, not everyone is happy.
On Saturday night, West End performer Amber Davies, social media personality George Clarke and former Lioness Karen Carney performed in the final. The judges gave their scores as usual. However, it did not impact the public vote.
As Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman presented the hit BBC show for the very last time, they announced at the end of the episode that Karen and her dance partner Carlos Gu were this year’s winners of the 23rd series.
The pair were overwhelmed by the result and shared a huge, passionate hug. Carlos thanked Karen for “being so incredible this whole journey” and for “changing his life”.
Following a huge series, Amber, George and Karen competed in this year’s final (Credit: BBC)
Strictly fans react to Carlos and Karen winning
With tough competition, fans immediately reacted to Karen and Carlos’ victory.
“Ah, well deserved to Karen and Carlos. She’s amazing, to be fair,” one user wrote on X.
“And the crowd goes wild! Karen and Carlos, the right result,” another person shared.
“Can’t complain about that result! Absolutely fabulous,” a third remarked.
“Goes to show how popular football is in this country. Well done, Kaz and Carlos,” a fourth said.
“The right winners,” a fifth expressed.
Karen and Carlos were announced as this year’s winner of the 23rd Strictly series (Credit: BBC)
‘Absolutely gutted for George’
Meanwhile, many were hoping for George and his dance partner Alexis Warr to win.
“You’ve gotta be joking,” one declared.
“GEORGE WAS ROBBED,” another insisted.
“Absolutely rigged,” a third remarked.
“You best believe I’m gonna be that person to say rigged……I’m sorry but HOW has George not won with all the crazy support he had from fans, YouTubers, families, etc. I find it very hard to believe,” a fourth said.
“Absolutely gutted for George, he deserved it so much,” a fifth added.
“Every poll had George as the clear winner. The most rigged show,” another insisted.
Next Thursday (December 25), the hit BBC show will return for its Christmas special. Tess and Claudia will host the pre-recorded episode.
George Clarke has spoken about a week he “hated” on Strictly Come Dancing ahead of the final.
The content creator has made it all the way to the final of the dancing competition – which airs on Saturday (December 20). Partnered with Alexis Warr, George has gone down a treat with fans at home.
But despite bagging a spot in the final, George has now admitted that he seriously struggled during one of the weeks and confessed that he “hated” it.
George appeared on It Takes Two (Credit: BBC)
George Clarke’s ‘horrible’ week on Strictly
On Thursday (December 18) George appeared on It Takes Two with Alexis about their upcoming dances this weekend. One of them is going to be a Paso Doble, a routine they performed in the early stages of Strictly 2025, during week two.
“Why have you chosen this one?” host Janette Manrara asked George. He replied: “I think it was a time that dance felt very fresh.
“I remember the training so vividly. And in the first two weeks it was like teaching me how to walk because it was such an alien feeling.”
His pro dancer supported him (Credit: BBC)
George comforted by co-star
He then heartbreakingly admitted: “I hated Monday and Tuesday that week with a passion.”
Alexis then chimed in and reassured George by saying: “I feel like that whole week was the hardest for you, like fully embracing the experience and learning a whole new character that’s definitely not him.”
Janette then chimed in: “Week two scares everyone so don’t feel bad.” George quipped: “It was just a horrible week so we wanted to repeat it!”
What is George dancing this weekend?
This weekend George, Karen Carney and Amber Davies will go head-to-head in the live final after Balvinder Sopal’s journey came to an end at the semi-final stage.
On the night, George & Alexis are performing their showdance to ‘Human’ by The Killers, their Judges’ Pick (a Viennese Waltz) to ‘Somebody To Love’ by Queen and their favourite Dance: (Paso Doble) to ‘Game Of Survival’ by Ruelle.
As for who the bookies think will win, Former Lioness Karen Carney is currently the favourite to lift the Glitterball, priced at 8/13. Close behind her is George Clarke at 6/4, while Amber Davies finds herself the outsider, sitting at 28/1.
SportsCasting spokesperson Shane Orton said the final line-up makes for a compelling finale. “With Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon falling at the semi-final stage, we’re left with a fascinating final three,” he explained.
“Karen Carney and Carlos Gu have surged back into favouritism after delivering two outstanding performances, showing the consistency and control you’d expect at this stage of the competition.”
The Strictly Come Dancing final airs on Saturday (December 20) on BBC One.
Strictly Come Dancing reached the semi-final this week, but it felt a bit less exciting than in previous years. This weekend, the contestants were taking on two dances as they fought to make it to next week’s grand final.
There were a LOT of emotions on display as the four remaining celebrities took to the dance floor to showcase their talents.
It was a fun week with some nice dances but as far as Strictly semi-finals go, it wasn’t earth-shattering. We even found ourselves zoning out during the competitors’ VTs as we heard how much they love their mum/dad/sister/brother/insert family member here.
Here’s what we thought of everything that happened in the Strictly Come Dancing semi-final.
Karen and Carlos were emotional (Credit: BBC)
Karen and Carlos got emotional
Former Lioness Karen Carney has been brilliant in this year’s competition, but she has proved her worth – as judge Anton du Beke said – by being a bit “crash, bang wallop”. She’s thrown herself into dances with real enthusiasm and gusto.
But this week she was dancing a Waltz to One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston. And she showed everyone that she could bring the sensitivity to the dance floor too.
By the end of the dance both Karen and her partner Carlos Gu were sobbing. Anton was emotional too as he told her that he’d never thought she could dance that way, and his heart “skips a beat” to see it.
Head judge Shirley Ballas was also choked with tears as she complimented the dance.
Karen won 39 from the judges for her Waltz.
And she won the same score for her second dance – a Salsa. The judges really enjoyed her Latin moves with Motsi Mabuse saying she wished she could have joined her on the dance floor! High praise, indeed!
Amber wowed the judges with her Couple’s Choice (Credit: BBC)
Amber and Nikita got top marks
West End star Amber Davies was saved in the dance off last week, sending actor Lewis Cope and his partner Katya Jones home.
Amber took to social media during the week to share that she’d been sent some hateful messages about her success in the dance off. Her partner Nikita Kuzmin also admitted it had been tough.
But they pulled it out of the bag!
Their first dance was a Tango, which was dramatic and sharp, but oddly attracted criticism from Anton and Shirley.
In a twist, Craig Revel Horwood, know to be the toughest judge, said his fellow judges were being “unnecessarily harsh”!
But he scored Amber a 9 anyway – the same as Anton. Make it make sense. Amber won 37 points for the Tango.
It was her Couple’s Choice, though, that brought the house down. Her old-Hollywood-style dance to Fly Me to the Moon was a winner.
“Absolutely beautiful in every way,” said Shirley.
A thrilled Amber and Nikita won top marks – 40 – from the judges.
“You certainly let loose!” commented Craig about the energetic Samba George danced with partner Alexis Warr. “What it lacked in technique, it made up for in entertainment!”
George’s second dance was a Charleston inspired by the Inbetweeners. It was funny and quirky and the judges all agreed it suited George perfectly.
He was given 35 points for his Samba, and 37 for his Charleston. Not too shabby.
Bal showed off her Salsa skills (Credit: BBC)
Bal gave it her all!
EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal has been in FIVE dance-offs this series. But this week she proved she was supposed to be in the semi-final, when she danced a fabulous Salsa to a Gloria Estefan medly.
“What a start,” said a stunned Anton. While Shirley said it reminded her of dancing Salsa in Cuba.
Bal won 35 points from the judges for her Salsa.
Though she confessed she hadn’t enjoyed learning the Waltz at first, her second dance was a snowy Parisian joy. With a little awkwardness when she got her dress caught as she struggled to get up off the floor.
We loved it, and the judges did too, praising how natural she was.
Bal scored 35 for her Waltz, and the same for her Salsa.
But sadly it wasn’t enough.
Bal said goodbye (Credit: BBC)
Dance-off drama!
Despite getting a perfect score, Amber and Nikita were in the dance-off again this week, taking on Bal and Julian.
Just like last week, the judges chose to save Amber.
So Bal’s time on Strictly has come to an end – we’ll miss the ultimate comeback queen.
Despite the emotions of the results show, we were delighted to see a very Christmassy performance by Kylie, plus a wintery treat from the band James.
We always enjoy Strictly, that’s true. But this week’s semi-final did fall a bit flat for us. We’re not sure why. Was it the absence of Lewis and Katya? The knowledge that everything’s changing as presenters Claudia and Tess say goodbye? Who knows?
But we’re still feeling pretty excited about next week’s final, anyway.
Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman ended their final Blackpool show with a big party with stars of the show, past and present.
From enjoying tequila to having a drink with some famous faces, here’s a closer look at the Strictly Blackpool afterparty 2025…
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman party after final Strictly Blackpool party
This weekend (November 22), marked Tess and Claudia’s final time hosting the BBC dance show in Blackpool. The presenting duo announced earlier on in the season that they will be leaving the show this year.
After the Blackpool special results show aired on Sunday, Tess shared some snaps on her Instagram. And it seems the blonde TV presenter said goodbye to the iconic Tower Ballroom in style.
In one photo, Tess and Claudia posed for the cameras, with Claudia holding an open bottle of tequila in her hands.
Both stars are wearing white T-shirts with I HEART BLACKPOOL printed on them.
“Blackpool, you didn’t disappoint! From the warmest of welcomes to some truly incredible routines from our brilliant couples; the only downside – having to bid the fondest of farewells to @lavoixtheshow [heart emojis] She’ll be very much missed by us all xx,” Tess captioned the post.
Claudia looked to be in high spirits in the pic. Meanwhile, other partygoers could be seen milling around in the background of the snap.
Strictly hit Blackpool (Credit: BBC)
The afterparty
According to The Sun, this year’s Blackpool afterparty was cancelled by the BBC.
“The stars of this year’s show don’t want to be in a position where they could be linked to any wrongdoing,” a source claimed.
“There’s a feeling that if people are in the wrong place at the wrong time, it could reflect very badly on them.”
However, a party clearly did happen, as proven by some of the stars’ posts on social media! Read on and we’ll tell you all we know!
Carlos and Ben after the show (Credit: @amydowden / Instagram)
In a post shared by Amy Dowden, the Welsh dancer, Carlos Gu and her husband, Ben Jones, could be seen enjoying some time together after the show. Ben, 34, can be seen in one photo planting a big kiss on Carlos’ cheek. And, from the background, it seems like they were at the same location as Tess and Claude.
“We love you and are so very proud of you @gkx_carlos,” Amy captioned the post.
In another picture, Amy shared a picture of Carlos resting his head on Ben’s shoulder. Ben, meanwhile, could be seen with a drink in his hand.
“These two [heart eye emoji],” Amy captioned the story.
Enjoying a drink with Gogglebox stars and partying with Strictly alumni
Meanwhile, Lewis Cope and Craig Revel Horwood headed for a drink with Paul Chuckle! Yes, really!
The Chuckle Brothers star was also joined by his nephew and niece, Gogglebox favourites Pete and Sophie Sandiford. And, according to reports, the shindig took place at the Holiday Inn, where the Strictly stars were said to be staying.
Pete and Sophie are, of course, from Blackpool.
“I didn’t think anything could top one of the best #bbcstrictly episodes I’ve ever seen except a late-night catch-up with the phenomenon that is @lewiscope AND the growing Chuckle TV Dynasty that is @officialpaulchuckle @sophiesandiford1 @sandifordpete who are all as hilarious as each other,” Craig wrote on Instagram.
“Perfect candidates for 2026 if you ask me.”
Ashley and Layton joined the party (Credit: @jmanrara / Instagram)
Strictly fans and judges were full of praise after Karen Carney performed an “incredible” paso doble with Carlos Gu on tonight’s show (Saturday, November 22).
However, when Karen missed out on a perfect score of 40, viewers took to social media to complain.
Karen and Carlos gave an amazing performance (Credit: BBC)
Strictly star Karen Carney performs ‘insane’ Paso Doble
Tonight’s edition of Strictly saw Karen, 38, and her pro dance partner, Carlos Gu, 32, perform a paso doble to O Fortuna.
After the star’s amazing performance, the judges couldn’t have been more complimentary. Well, almost….
“That was superb!” Tess Daly gushed as the couple joined her by the judges’ table.
“Darling, that’s how you score a goal, that’s for sure,” Craig Revel Horwood told the star. “Insane!”
However, as expected, there was some criticism from the judge. “I would have liked a little bit of…”
But Craig couldn’t continue, as literally everyone in the Blackpool tower, including his fellow judges and other celebs and their pros, booed loudly, drowning him out!
Everyone was outraged Craig even dared give criticism! (Credit: BBC)
Strictly star Karen Carney praised by judges
Craig eventually managed to squeeze out his criticism in between the booes, before going on to praise Karen and Carlos’ performance again, branding it “passionate”, before telling Karen that she is “absolutely incredible”.
“I do not have a paddle that, in any way, can express how good that dance was!” Motsi Mabuse gushed.
Carlos received some praise from Shirley Ballas too, who told him his choreography was “of the highest competitive quality”.
“I’ve never seen a paso doble like that,” she then added.
Anton was full of praise too. “When you come to Blackpool, bring your best. This was an absolute tour de force. I thought it was extraordinary.”
Craig was slammed (Credit: BBC)
Fans slam Craig
When it came to the scoring, Craig gave Karen and Carlos a nine; however, Motsi, Shirley, and Anton gave her 10’s!
Fans were thrilled at the duo’s high score; however, they were furious that Craig hadn’t given the star a 10.
“Craig should have given Karen a 10,” one fan fumed.
“Craig Revel Horwood giving Karen Carney and Carlos Gu only a 9 for that performance is absolute insanity, honestly,” another fan then tweeted.
“With a dance like that, Karen & Carlos deserve those 10s!!!! Just Craig spoiling the perfect 40 possibility,” a third then gushed.
Additionally, another then said: “Craig scoring Karen a 9 is an abomination!!”
“Yk what, maybe Karen Carney could win this,” a fifth viewer tweeted.
“Karen’s dance was the absolute highlight oh my lord I love her so much,” another added.
Dermot O’Leary has revealed whether he will be replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly next year.
Last month, Tess and Claudia shocked viewers that they were leaving the beloved BBC show this year. The presenting duo said it “feels the right time” to walk away and admitted they have “loved” working together.
Since sharing the news, the public have been wondering who will fill their shoes. With many names circling, Dermot was confronted about whether he is in talks to take over…
Dermot opened up about taking over as host on Strictly (Credit: ITV)
Will Dermot O’Leary be hosting Strictly?
During an appearance on Ireland’s The Six O’Clock Show on Wednesday (November 12), hosts Brian Dowling and Katja Mia questioned whether the BBC was knocking on his door to take the role.
While making a dramatic turn toward the camera, he calmly asked: “Confirm or deny?” before declaring, “Deny.”
Dermot continued: “You know, being an X Factor kid, that’s like Julia Roberts in Sleeping With The Enemy.”
Former Big Brother winner insisted that Dermot’s former boss, Simon Cowell, “would not allow that”.
Dermot then joked: “Even though the show’s not on TV any more, he’d still hunt me down!”
On the other hand, the 52-year-old presenter admitted he had been in talks to be a contestant on Strictly.
“I didn’t think it was for me,” he said. When Brian questioned whether he would be open to the idea in the future, Dermot didn’t think so.
Dermot remains a staple on This Morning (Credit: ITV)
‘We’re like family’
While it’s unlikely that Dermot will be hosting Strictly in the near future, he remains a regular presenter on This Morning on Friday mornings with Alison Hammond.
In a 2023 interview with The Times, Dermot revealed why the ITV daytime show, which launched in 1988, has maintained longevity.
“This is only my third year of being on This Morning proper, but there’s 35 years of history to live up to. Why has it lasted so long? We reflect the country — our stories might be frivolous, serious or uplifting,” he said.
“The presenters make a difference too. If two people aren’t getting on, the viewers can see that.”
While talking about his co-host, Dermot added: “Alison Hammond, my co-host, and I didn’t really know each other when we started working together but now we’re like family. I think there’s an honesty to that.”
Strictly Come Dancing viewers have declared Vicky Pattison as their “winner” following her amazing tango which put her at the top of the leaderboard.
Each week, Vicky has clearly put her all on the dance-floor, and has often spoken about how emotional she has found the whole process. But it seems tonight (November 8) made it all worth it, as she got her highest score ever. And got extremely positive comments.
It wasn’t only the judges who were left extremely impressed by Vicky’s performance, but fans at home saw her in a whole new light. And some even think she could go on to win the show.
Fans think Vicky could win the show (Credit: BBC)
What did the judges say about Vicky’s performance?
Following Vicky’s impressive dance to Taylor Swift’s Fate of Ophelia, the judges were all very positive. And Shirley was even on her feet.
Anton praised: “I will tell you what I thought. I thought it was absolutely marvellous. It was perfect. Your bodies together, it must have been fabulous to dance with you in that. Your line is the best line I have ever seen, ever.”
Even Craig could barely find anything to critique. He told Vicky: “Your left hand bothered me. Because it was facing it when the palm should be facing the floor. Apart from that, it was perfect.”
Vicky was shocked at the praise, but the positivity didn’t stop there. Both Motsi and Shirley told her they both thought she was the best dance of the night.
In the end, Vicky got a huge score of 39, with everyone except for Craig giving a 10.
And fans from home were also extremely wowed.
Vicky got a total of 39 points (Credit: BBC)
Strictly fans declare Vicky as their ‘winner’
Taking to X, one fan penned: “Vicky’s journey is incredible to see. Ah-ma-zing.”
Another added: “Vicky and Kai, you were absolutely amazing tonight. Totally stunned by the quality of that dance. I was not expecting that at all. Loved it.”
“Wow. Vicky. Acting and chemistry were sharp. The face grab moment – I was totally engrossed” a third penned.
“I love Vicky. I could see her winning the whole thing” another added.
A shocked fan wrote: “Vicky could be an outsider to win..”
“Vicky Pattison would be the perfect winner. From a total beginner to this!! She really is improving all the time. She still doesn’t believe how good she is.”
What did you think of Vicky Pattison’s performance on Strictly Come Dancing? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix. We want to hear your thoughts!
He told Fleur: “We are dancing this week, we said already, our Jive. And we’re going to do a few other dances Ellie said to me at the beginning ‘I want to do’.”
Ellie revealed: “The Couple’s Choice. The Cha-cha-cha, and more.” Vito added: “We’re going to keep practicing. And some new dances. You said to me you wanted to do the Charleston.”
Ellie told Fleur they will continue training “up ’til the final”.
Once they had appeared on the BBC Two spin-off show, Ellie took to her Instagram Stories and shared a picture of her day.
In the snap, Ellie was wearing maroon leggings, ballroom shoes and black T-shirt. She was giving Vito, who was also in his training gear, a high ten.
Ellie captioned the sweet shot: “What a great day spending it with my @vitocoppola. Never stop dancing!”
Ellie shared a picture of herself and Vito in the training room on Monday (Credit: Instagram Stories/ @elliejg16_zebedeemodel)
Ellie and Vito’s exit
Ellie and Vito had performed a Tango in Saturday’s live Halloween Week show. They scored 27 points, which placed them second from the bottom of the leaderboard. Below them was Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer, who scored 26.
But following the public vote, Ellie and Vito found themselves in the dance-off with Balvinder and Julian. They had scored 28 points on Saturday evening.
All four judges voted to save Balvinder and Julian, meaning Ellie and Vito are now out of the competition.
As they said their final words to Tess Daley, Vito made viewers cry while paying homage to Ellie. He clutched her hands and told her she will always be his “little sister”. Vito also credited Ellie for making him a “better person”.
Vito made fans cry as he and Ellie left the show (Credit: BBC)
When is Strictly Come Dancing on next?
Strictly Come Dancing continues this weekend. It is back to basics in the ballroom after both Icons Week and Halloween Week. There is no theme for this Saturday.
The live show starts at 6.25pm on BBC One on Saturday November 8, 2025. It is then followed on Sunday night by Strictly: The Results. This will air at 7.10pm, also on BBC One.
Strictly 2025 is now halfway through its series – and Sunday will see another celebrity and their partner leave the competition.
Strictly Come Dancing was back this weekend with its legendary Halloween week! Forget Blackpool, we know it’s Halloween most of the celebs want to reach, with the amazing costumes and makeup, and dances that it brings.
And it definitely didn’t disappoint!
We saw an amazing Couple’s Choice from Lewis Cope that won him four 10s from the judges! Plus Alex Kingston danced the most hilarious salsa, and Karen Carney wowed with her Peaky Blinders-inspired Argentine Tango.
But there was bad news for a fan favourite as their first time in the dance-off saw the judges choose to eliminate them from the competition.
There’s a lot to talk about! Here’s everything we thought of Strictly Come Dancing Halloween week.
Alex and Jojo danced a devilish salsa (Credit: BBC)
There was a lot of good stuff in Strictly Come Dancing Halloween week!
Halloween week always feels packed with energy as the celebs, pros and judges throw themselves into the fun. And that was definitely true this week with some amazing costumes and dances filled with brilliant choreography.
Vicky Pattison and her partner Kai Widdrington opened the show with a bang. They danced an American Smooth to the Bonnie Tyler classic Total Eclipse of the Heart.
It was so good that Motsi Mabuse declared Vicky to be a “contender for the final”! Amazing. They were given 31 points from the impressed judges. And they set the bar very high for the rest of the competition.
Vicky’s American smooth wowed the judges (Credit: BBC)
La Voix was queen of the dancefloor!
La Voix and Aljaz Škorjanec danced a paso doble inspired by the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland. And it really was a wonderland for La Voix who perdormed a “personal best” according to notoriously hard-to-impress judge Craig Revel Horwood. La Voix – who got a 2 from Craig just a fortnight ago – got 35 from the judges!
It may not have been very Halloween-y, but Brummie Karen Carney and her partner Johannes Radebe danced an impressive Argentine Tango to the Peaky Blinders theme, dressed in flat caps and waistcoats just like the characters in the show.
“I loved, loved, loved that dance,” gushed Craig. OMG. Karen got two 10s – from Motis and Anton – and two 9s for her fabulous dance.
Lewis and Katya won 40 points from the judges! (Credit: BBC)
Lewis and Katya stole the show
But it was Emmerdale star Lewis Cope and his partner Katya Jones who stole the show. Lewis took Katya back to Hartlepool this week to meet his enormous family.
We were introduced us to Nana Dot and his impossibly glamorous mum Dee. And if we were distracted by the sheer logistics of a family with 14 children, FOURTEEN! it was only for a second because Lewis’s dance started well and just got better.
We admit we rolled our eyes a bit when Lewis was announced as a Strictly contestant. Of course, we knew he was a performer. And we knew he’d been in the West End and that he had the confidence to hit that dancefloor running, as it were.
When he’s done well up until now, we’ve been impressed obviously, but we’ve also been a little dismissive, claiming his dance background was helping him.
And we also have to admit that we are not fans of the Couple’s Choice dances – with a few exceptions. The wafty, bare-footed tear jerkers just don’t do it for us.
But we take all that back. We were wrong about all of it.
Because Lewis’s Couple’s Choice was a JOY. It was fun, energetic, brilliantly danced, cleverly choreographed… it had everything.
And the judges agreed. Motsi said it would become a ‘moment’ – one of the Strictly dances we all remember for years. While Anton Du Beke said the dance wasn’t just the best dance of this series but was in fact “as good as anything we’ve seen on any series”.
And Craig simply declared it: “Spooktacular!”
Lewis got the first 40 of the series, and he thoroughly deserved it.
It was Ellie and Vito’s time to say goodbye (Credit: BBC)
The dark side of Strictly Come Dancing Halloween week
We tipped them for the dance-off. But we were wrong about that, too (frankly we’re questioning our status as Strictly super-fans at this point).
In fact it was poor Balvinder Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon who were in the dance-off AGAIN, this time facing fan fave Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola.
The judges chose to save EastEnders star Balvinder and so Ellie was eliminated from the competition.
Strictly Come Dancing hosted its Halloween spooktacular last night (November 1) – but tonight in the BBC ballroom it was a Halloween horror for one couple, as they became the latest pair to exit the competition as the results came in.
Tonight on Strictly, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman revealed that Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola and Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon would battle it out in the dance-off.
And, after both performed their routines again – Ellie a Tango and Balvinder a Rumba – it was down to the judges to decide which couple would live to dance another day…
Ellie and Vito and Balvinder and Julian were forced to perform again tonight (Credit: BBC)
Strictly results – Ellie and Vito sent packing
Sadly for Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola, the judges decided unanimously to save Balvinder and Julian. Her exit came after a week of speculation surrounding her future in the show after rumours that she’d quit.
Before they took to the floor for their last dance, Vito told Ellie: “Honestly, there are no words I can use to describe how proud I am of you and you did really change my life so much. You made me such a better person.
“At the beginning of this year, I said to myself please, please, please can you send me a beautiful angel into my life? And now you arrived. I’ve never had a little sister but I always wanted one. Now, I have you and you’re my little sister forever, and your big brother is always by your side.”
When asked about how much she enjoyed dancing with Vito, Ellie then said: “I’ve enjoyed it so much! He is a kind person and all I wanted from day one. You have been so heartwarming, thank you to you.”
Vito paid tribute to Ellie before taking to the ballroom floor for their last dance (Credit: BBC)
Fans react
Viewers were sad to see Ellie go, but concluded that it was probably the right decision to send her home over Balvinder. However, there was sadness for Vito, who has made the final every single year since starting on Strictly.
He won with Fleur East in 2023, and was a runner-up with Ellie Leach in 2022 and Sarah Hadland in 2024.
“Crazy that this is the first time Vito’s been eliminated on Strictly,” one pointed out. “He’s been in the final every year since starting the show.” A second said: “The right choice at this stage I think, although I’m gutted to lose Vito for the first time since he joined the show.”
Others hailed Ellie’s performance on the show. “I think it could only go that way. She had a ball and was throwing herself at it. The height difference was always going to be a massive issue in hold,” said one.
Another commented: “Sad to see Ellie go. She has been fantastic and such a lovely partnership with Vito. He has been the best teacher and friend to Ellie. Be very proud of yourself Ellie.”
Ellie and Vito will be on It Takes Two tomorrow night (November 3) at 6.30pm on BBC Two.
Vicky Pattison opened the show last night, but the Strictly Come Dancing star was quickly moved to tears over the judges’ critique of her American Smooth.
Last night’s Halloween special (November 1) saw Vicky and pro partner Kai Widdington open the spooktacular show. They performed a stunning routine to Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart.
And, standing next to host Tess Daly as she received her critique, Vicky was left overwhelmed with emotion. Even pro Kai looked shocked at the comments made by judge Motsi Mabuse, who was dressed as the bride of Craig Revel Horwood!
Vicky and Kai opened the Halloween special with their American Smooth (Credit: BBC)
Vicky Pattison in tears after Halloween performance
The Geordie Shore star opened the show with her stunning American Smooth last night. Dressed as a white witch, she dazzled the audience and judges alike.
But it was judge Motsi’s comments that appeared to touch her the most. Motsi was the last judge to offer her thoughts on Vicky and Kai’s routine. And it appears as if they certainly saved the best for last…
The couple got a standing ovation and a score of 31. But it was Motsi’s comments that delighted Vicky the most.
Motsi said she sees Vicky making the final (Credit: BBC)
She told her: “A few weeks ago, I couldn’t believe that you’d open our show. I loved the character play in the beginning, you did it so, so well. So for me, you are a contender for the final. Honestly. And I just want you to finish everything, make everything nice and clean.”
Up in the Clauditorium, Vicky told exiting host Claudia Winkleman: “I hated going first! Honestly, I loved this dance this week because for once I had a foundation to build on. I wasn’t just starting from scratch and feeling so inadequate. I was just desperate to prove that I have improved.”
Vicky was very overwhelmed after the judges’ comments (Credit: BBC)
‘Would love to see her in the final’
Viewers loved the routine, too.
One said: “Loved Vicky and Kai! She looked stunning! Perfect for the season, the song worked perfectly too!” “I love Vicky. My favourite part of the show is rooting for someone who isn’t the clear frontrunner that is the best at dancing but someone who is working hard and improving every week having started with zero experience. Would love to see her in the final,” said another, agreeing with Motsi.
“It’s a joy to see how much Vicky Pattison has improved since week one, she has turned into a beautiful dancer,” said another. “Vicky has blossomed so much during the competition and it’s so beautiful to see,” another fan of the star added.
Strictly viewers have made a worrying prediction over Harry Aikines-Aryeetey after tonight’s live show.
Gladiators star Harry and his professional dance partner Karen Hauer performed an American Smooth for Saturday’s Halloween special.
However, during their routine, Harry made a small mistake and it was picked up during the judges’ feedback.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey made a small mistake in his routine (Credit: BBC)
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey makes mistake during Strictly performance
All four of the judges, Anton Du Beke, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood spoke about the mistake.
Anton admitted: “I wrote down, ‘Lovely lyrical timing.’ I looked up and you went wrong, right in the middle of the room.”
I do want to apologise to you for my little mistake.
Shirley added: “Other than that little mistake, you did very well.”
Meanwhile, Craig said that he thought the performance “lost elegance”. He added: “I would suggest a softer approach for something like this. But I do love you darling, you do bring a lot to the table. You bring the heart and the soul of every dance you do.”
Motsi said Harry “held composure” during the slower moments in the dance and thought he “went a gear up after the mistake”.
Harry received 26 out of 40 for his American Smooth (Credit: BBC)
Judges give their scores to Harry and Karen
Following the routine, Harry and Karen joined host Claudia Winkleman to receive the judges’ scores.
Before the scoring, Harry said to Karen: “I do want to apologise to you for my little mistake. She works so hard on everything we do.”
Host Claudia Winkleman said: “No! We did not see it.”
Karen added: “It just breaks your heart because every day you’ve been doing it correctly. These guys get so nervous, it’s nerve-wracking. It broke my heart, but you know what picked my heart back up? The fact that you came back fighting.”
The judges then gave their scores, giving Harry 26 out of 40 (Craig – 6, Motsi – 7, Shirley – 6, Anton – 7).
Harry apologised to Karen for the mistake (Credit: BBC)
Viewers ‘worried’ for Harry
After the mistake and the scores, some viewers expressed concern for Harry facing the dreaded dance-off.
One person said on X: “Love our Harry, but I am worried for him tonight, so many great dances tonight…”
Tess Daly and fellow Strictly co-host Claudia Winkleman shocked the nation last week after they announced they would be leaving the show after the 2025 series is complete.
The pair said it “feels the right time” to leave and admitted they have “loved working as a duo”.
Claudia joined the show as a co-presenter on the main show in 2010. Meanwhile, Tess has fronted the beloved BBC programme since its very first series in 2004.
Claudia and Tess announced they are leaving Strictly this year (Credit: Splashnews.com)
‘Real reason’ Tess Daly is leaving Strictly
Having been dedicated to the show for over 20 years, insiders have revealed that Tess would like to be able to spend more time with her family. She and husband Vernon Kay share two daughters — Phoebe, 21 and Amber, 16.
“Strictly is a real whirlwind – it is chaotic and they don’t have much time together,” a source told the Mirror.
“Vernon has been understanding and knows this. Tess has been on Strictly forever but it’s been heartbreaking for her not to have as much time as she wants with her family – it’s the juggle so many women have.”
Once the 2025 series has wrapped, Tess and Vernon are set to have “more special time” with her children.
“They’re seeing her taking time away from work briefly as their fresh start – a chance for her and Vernon to have some space for their relationship. Once Strictly has stopped, she can have so much more family time, more holidays, more special time with the kids and for work opportunities. It’s going to be very positive for them as a couple,” the insider continued.
ED! has contacted Tess’ reps for comment.
Tess reportedly wants to spend more time with her family (Credit: Splashnews.com)
Tess and Claudia’s replacement
While no name(s) have been announced as the replacement for Tess and Claudia, several names have been circling.
According to exclusive odds from SportsCasting, Roman Kemp is an early favourite. Former This Morning host Holly Willoughby is also a contender, as well as former Strictly contestant Alex Scott.
It Takes Two hosts Fleur East and Janette Manrara could also be in for a chance.
Strictly Come Dancing burst back on to our screens this weekend with Icons Week! There were messages for the contestants from some of their fave icons, some amazing hair, make-up and costumes, and some classic tunes.
Were the dances iconic? Hmm, we’re undecided!
It was a very closely fought competition this week. Lewis and Katya topped the leaderboard with 34 points while George and Alexis were at the bottom with 27. That meant there were just 7 points separating top and bottom, with everyone else in between.
Does that make it a bit boring? Maybe!
Lewis and Katya wowed the judges (Credit: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing Icons Week
So who was the most iconic on Strictly Come Dancing Icons Week? Lewis and Katya started the show with their quickstep to Johnny Cash. They were ahead of the pack immediately scooping 34 points from the judges.
Lewis mentioned that Johnny Cash was his grandad’s favourite singer, and Katya said he’d played her his grandad’s records. It felt a bit early in the competition to bring out a story about a grandparent! But it clearly did the trick because Lewis is safe and ready to dance in Halloween Week.
Ellie and Vito danced a salsa to a Spice Girls medley. Ellie definitely showed she’s improving all the time. Her joy is so infectious and we loved her excitement when she got a good-luck message from Emma Bunton! They scored 28 points.
We loved Vicky’s dance (Credit: BBC)
Vicky danced brilliantly
But our top fave dance of the night was Vicky Pattison and her partner Kai Widdrington. They danced their couple’s choice to Fight for This Love, by Cheryl Cole.
It was such a great dance. We’re not always completely on board with the couple’s choice. It mostly seems to involved bare feet, wafty dresses and sob stories. But sometimes it just works – and this was one of those times.
We also didn’t completely understand whether the icons the dancers were representing were their own icons or just icons in general. But Vicky most definitely sees Cheryl as an icon and her enthusiasm and passion really shone through.
Plus we really loved how thrilled Vicky was with her message from Cheryl.
Alex and Johannes danced brilliantly but something wasn’t right for us (Credit: BBC)
Bad music choices in Strictly Come Dancing Icons Week
We know it was icons week but some of the music didn’t really work with the dances. Balvinder and Julian danced a really fun quickstep to Texas Hold’Em by Beyonce (and how amazing did Bal look?! But though the dance was great, it just felt a bit odd.
Similarly, Alex and Johannes danced a great foxtrot to Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton. It was really good. We loved it. But that dance with that music felt strange.
But we were VERY glad that Balvinder escaped the dance off this week, and we were also really excited to see ER star Laura Innes in the audience cheering on her former co-star, Alex.
When it comes to music and dance not working, the worst offender of the evening was Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. He and partner Karen Hauer danced an Argentine tango to Usher. It didn’t work for us. It was weird. But the judges awarded it 30 points. So what do we know?!
Jimmy’s Purple Rain American Smooth didn’t impress (Credit: BBC)
Don’t you just love Prince?
Remember we said we weren’t sure if Icons Week referred to icons in general or the celebrity’s own icons? Well, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and his partner Lauren Oakley danced an American Smooth to Purple Rain. Jimmy, it was said, was a huge fan of Prince. But when he was asked about it, he simply said that in 1999, he listened to the song 1999 a lot.
Hmm. Should have mentioned your grandad, Jimmy.
Strictly Come Dancing Icons Week: The dance-off!
Anyway, we love Jimmy and we really love Lauren, and the judges gave them 30 points. But sadly his dance didn’t wow the audience and he ended up in the dance-off.
Jimmy had to dance off against Amber, whose cha cha to Ariana Grande also didn’t win over the audience. Despite Amber and her partner Nikita scooping 33 points, they had to dance again.
The judges chose to save Amber, and sadly Jimmy said goodbye to the ballroom.
We’re already looking forward to Halloween week, and we can’t wait to see the costumes!
Strictly Come Dancing kicked out another contestant tonight (October 26), with viewers in shock over the couples who landed in the bottom two.
Last night, the celebrities dressed up to the nines as their favourite icons for Icons Week. But sadly for two of the stars, they landed in the bottom two and were forced to dance again.
It was a bottom two that none of the viewers expected, or agreed with (Credit: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing elimination leaves fans reeling
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley found themselves in the dance-off tonight – a result that left viewers shocked.
After Amber and Nikita danced their Ariana Grande-inspired Cha Cha Cha and Jimmy and Lauren performed their Prince-inspired American Smooth, it was over to the judges.
The previous night, viewers had been informed that, in the result of a tie, Anton Du Beke would have the deciding vote. However, after Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse all voted to save Amber and Nikita, Anton’s role was redundant.
Tess Daly – who addressed her own exit on the show last night – did ask him who he would’ve picked to save, though. Anton voted for Amber and Nikita, the same as the rest of the panel.
Tess Daly gave the bad news to Jimmy and Lauren (Credit: BBC)
Angry viewers react
Online, complaints poured in, with many believing that neither couple should’ve been in the bottom two. And sharing their upset that ex-footballer Jimmy had been sent for an early bath.
One commented: “Jimmy being in the dance off full stop is one of those incredibly underserved moments. Easily in the top half of performers and seemed to be quite popular. The fact he had to go up against Amber makes it even worse as he was never going to survive that.”
“All I’ll say about this – the result is a complete joke. Wrong two people in the dance-off and wrong person went out,” said another. “This result is anything other than ‘Iconic’,” said another.
“That’s a shocker, how the hell either of them was in the bottom two is beyond me. I feel sorry for Jimmy, as he has been improving every week and for Lauren, she must be gutted,” another commented. “Absolutely ridiculous, ludicrous result,” another agreed.
One last dance for Jimmy and Lauren (Credit: BBC)
‘I’m gutted’
“Neither of those should have been in the dance-off. Though with how close the scoring was I had a feeling it really was going to be a shock week,” another viewer said. “WHAT A DISGRACE!!!! I’m gutted,” another said.
“Awful result so shocked! Really hate the scoring and the voting this year. Ellie did not deserve an 8. La Voix sang for half the dance. Massively overmarked.. Harry’s choreography wasn’t great.. Going to miss Jimmy and Lauren,” said another sadly.
Strictly fans were left concerned for George Clarke last night (Saturday, October 25) after his performance failed to wow the judges.
The influencer, 25, who dressed as Harry Styles and danced to As It Was, found himself at the bottom of the leaderboard by the end of the show.
George and Alexis were at the bottom of the leaderboard (Credit: BBC)
George Clarke bottom of the leaderboard on Strictly
Last night saw George and Alexis Warr, 25, perform a jive to Harry Styles’ As It Was.
However, their routine didn’t impress the judges as much as they perhaps hoped.
Craig Revel Horwood said that the jive looked a “bit flat-footed” and “stompy”. He also said that the circle sashays had gone “horribly wrong”.
Motsi advised George to work on his “consistency”, whilst Shirley pointed out a few “mistakes” in the routine.
Anton Du Beke, meanwhile, was more complimentary, branding it a “super” performance.
Speaking to Claudia Winkleman after, George said he wasn’t happy with how his dancing had been developing.
Craig gave the routine a six – and not for the first time – Motsi a seven, Shirley a six, and Anton an eight, meaning they scored 27 points. However, by the time the end credits rolled, George and Alexis were bottom of the leaderboard.
George was visibly upset (Credit: BBC)
George Clarke apologises to Alexis Warr
In a video uploaded to the official Strictly Instagram account after their performance, George looked visibly upset about the judges’ criticisms.
“Well, that…,” George said, before laughing. “I had fun!” Alexis said.
“I had fun,” George agreed. “I had fun until I realised did things wrong. But we’re ok.”
“Stop it!” Alexis said, giving her co-star a hug. “We’re ok. I had a blast.”
“I just apologise for not doing your choreo and your effort justice,” a muted George then said.
“Stop it, no, no, no, no,” Alexis protested. “Please don’t apologise to me, because I am so proud of you. And also, what I’m giving you is not easy. And you’ve been tackling everything so well. Truly.”
“Yeah,” George sighed. “Ok?” Alexis asked. “And I love our teamwork. I love how we work. And I’m proud of you, and I’m proud of what we put out there. And that’s that. Period.”
“Chin up!” she then laughed, shaking her co-star, drawing a smile from him.
Fans concerned for George
Fans were left saddened by how upset George seemed, with many also unhappy at the fact that he was bottom of the leaderboard.
“Stop it George and Alexis doing their little debrief after the dance. George genuinely looks like he was about to cry. Idk if that was apart of the whole “awkward” thing they have going for him but,” one viewer tweeted.
“This breaks my heart, man. The way he said sorry to Alexis, too. I hope he knows we’re so proud of him,” another fan said.
“I don’t think I’d feel as bad if it was a dance they should have been scored poorly for; they danced so well tonight, shame on the judges,” a third wrote.
“Stop, I’m gonna cry, he is so hard on himself, thank god for Alexis,” another said.
“This just made me so sad :(. His desire and want to make Alexis proud, they deserve better fr,” a fifth wrote.
“Oh Ill cry because he smashed it, and him apologising breaks my heart,” another wrote.
“There’s NO WAY that this was the worst dance of the night by any stretch of the imagination,” another fumed. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN GEORGE & ALEXIS IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LEADERBOARD….. AND HAS THE LOWEST SCORE OF THE NIGHT ?!?!!!” another angry fan raged.
Strictly Come Dancing fans have rallied around Karen Carney after she revealed she was “gutted” by her Rumba routine on the show.
The glitzy BBC One show returned to screens on Saturday (October 25) for its Icons Week. As for football star Karen Carney, she transformed into Celine Dion for her performance.
However, it seemed that Karen was left disheartened by the judges’ feedback – with host Claudia Winkleman even stepping in to comfort her.
The pair performed a Rumba (Credit: BBC)
Karen Carney ‘gutted’ after dance on Strictly
On Strictly’s live show, Karen and pro partner Carlos Gu performed a Rumba to Celine Dion’s Think Twice. Afterward, the dancing experts on the panel had mixed feedback for Karen.
Shirley Ballas pointed out that “it went a bit wobbly” in the middle, but praised Karen as she “executed” some of the hardest rumba walks in the dance. Anton also noted that Karen got “tense” meanwhile Craig said her balance was “off” and the dance “lacked fluidity”.
Sorry, I’m a bit gutted
After receiving their feedback, Karen and Carlos headed up to speak to Claudia Winkleman. However, Karen was clearly upset by the judges’ comments.
“Don’t make that face,” Claudia said, before telling Karen that the pros upstairs called Karen’s legs “perfect” when she danced.
“Thank you, as they mentioned down there, there’s about eight different walks,” Karen said. She then added: “Sorry, I’m a bit gutted.”
Karen was supported by Claudia (Credit: BBC)
Claudia steps in on Strictly
But her fellow Strictly stars didn’t agree and all said: “Noooo.” Karen continued: “It does happen but he saved it so, well done you [Carlos].”
Carlos was then asked how proud he is of Karen, considering how different the dance is to what they have done previously.
He said: “Saying proud is an understatement, I mean, how hard she’s been working and on her own. I tried to call her a bit independent this week because there is a moment for you to show your slo-mo skills, you are in control of everything.”
However, Claudia then interrupted Carlos after noticing how disheartened Karen looked. “Oh no baby, I don’t want you to be upset!”
Karen reassured her though and replied: “Oh no, I’m good, I’m alright.” The judges then gave their scores of Karen and Carlos’ dance, awarding them a total of 28 points. Surprised, Karen said: “Thank you.”
Karen revealed she was ‘gutted’ (Credit: BBC)
‘I just wanna give Karen a hug’
Meanwhile, fans watching at home soon shared their concerns for Karen following her reaction. One person said: “Aww Karen the dance was so pretty don’t let that knock your confidence.”
Someone else added: “I just wanna give Karen a hug bless her.” A third chimed in: “Somebody hug Karen Carney right now.”
Echoing their thoughts, another fan declared: “Karen looks a bit disappointed with that but she shouldn’t despite the slip up it was really beautiful!!”
