Just What Is Going On With The Strictly Come Dancing Judges?

Posted on 14/04/2023 by Boris Clair

It might seem way too early in the year to be discussing Strictly Come Dancing, but the show has already been making headlines thanks so some rumoured unrest among the judging panel.

Here’s what you need to know…

Why is everyone talking about the Strictly Come Dancing judges?

There has been speculation that this year could see some changes on the Strictly panel, which first began when head judge Shirley Ballas hinted she might not return.

Last month, Shirley said the intense trolling she received during last year’s series had taken its toll, and had made her consider whether she’d go back.

Admitting she had been “struggling” in 2022, Shirley told The Mirror: “I felt the abuse snowballed out of control and impacted me in such a negative way….

“And that was an all-time low since I joined the show – it was the most negativity I’d ever experienced.”

Asked if she considered quitting, Shirley replied: “It was a difficult series, I’ll leave it at that…

“Will I go back to Strictly? I always take one step at a time,” she said.

However, she walked those comments back somewhat during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show last week, suggesting negotiations were were currently taking place between her team and the BBC.

“Well… I do believe it’s in the process. Is that the right way to say it? Yes.. their people are talking to my people,” she told the chat show host.

Shirley confirmed she was in negotiation to return to Strictly during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show

Since the, The Sun has claimed that Shirley and her fellow judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke are pushing for a pay rise to seal their returns.

The paper claimed the judges are chasing an 11 per cent increase, which is above the rate of inflation.

They quoted an unnamed source who claimed that things had apparently reached somewhat of a “stand off”, with the BBC refusing to bow to the demands due to the current cost of living crisis and the freeze the government imposed on the BBC licence fee last year.

However, these reports have not been verified.

Why is this all happening now?

While the new series of Strictly Come Dancing is still six months away, people work on the production of the show all year round.

As well as beginning conversations with some potential celebrity contestants, bosses also start confirming the line-up of professional dancers, judges and presenters early doors – as HuffPost UK learned last year when we ran our Backstage At The Ballroom series, speaking to those who work behind the scenes of the show.

Last year, for example, the judging line-up was confirmed in mid-May, with the announcement Anton was returning for his second full series as a judge.

The Strictly judges during last year's series — The Strictly judges during last year’s series

We’ve also seen Rylan Clark depart Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two this week, proving that bosses are starting to shape what this year’s series will look like.

What have the judges said?

After The Sun’s story about the judges’ reported pay dispute came out this week, HuffPost UK contacted representatives for Strictly Come Dancing, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke for comment, but did not receive any responses.

However, it is highly unlikely any party would speak out on the specifics of the negotiations, as it is pretty standard procedure that organisations or individuals do not comment on artists’ contracts.

So, what next?

While it’s difficult to say who will be back on the judging panel this year until an official announcement is made, Strictly’s enduring popularity has proved that no individual is bigger than the show.

Having survived many other changes to the judging line-up over the years – the most recent of which saw Anton replace original judge Bruno Tonioli – whatever happens, we can all be sure that the nation’s favourite show will continue to sparkle when it returns in the autumn.

I’m Strictly’s Makeup Designer – Working There Is Unlike Any Other Show On TV

Posted on 10/12/2022 by Boris Clair

“As makeup artists, and people who want to be creative and push boundaries and go to the next level, what other show on TV at the moment is there a chance to do that on?” Lisa Armstrong says of her role as Strictly Come Dancing’s makeup designer. “That’s why we feel so lucky.”

Lisa is now in her 14th year heading up the makeup department on the hit BBC ballroom show, and when HuffPost UK catches up with her, it’s clear she loves working on it as much now as when she first joined.

Her glittering career in TV makeup artistry started after a chance meeting with Ozzy Osbourne during her days working on photo-shoots as a jobbing MUA, which eventually led to Lisa being recruited by his wife Sharon to be her personal makeup artist for the first series of The X Factor in 2004.

Having climbed the ranks of the ITV talent show during its early years, Lisa – who originally found fame as part of 90s girlgroup Deuce – was called into a secret meeting with BBC bosses about joining the show’s Saturday night rival and heading up its hair and makeup team.

“It was beyond my wildest dreams,” she says. “It was just incredible from a makeup artist’s point of view to be going from the biggest show on ITV to the biggest show on the BBC, and to be heading up the team and be in charge, it was literally, OMG!”

Having built her team of professional MUAs, the makeup department on Strictly has gone from strength to strength with their incredible looks, even being recognised by the industry when Lisa won both a Bafta Craft and Royal Television Society awards.

Lisa Armstrong attends the British Academy Television Craft Awards in 2019

As our behind-the-scenes look at Strictly continues in our Backstage At The Ballroom series, Lisa reveals the astonishing pace at which her team works, the inventive ways she brings the show’s famous themed weeks to life, and names her favourite looks of all time…

I wanted makeup and hair to push boundaries when I joined Strictly..

I wanted it to look and feel very much like modern day, bringing all those aspects of Latin and ballroom up to date, and making them relatable to the public.

I wanted us to be the leaders, not the followers, so I wanted people to watch our show and go, ‘OMG, did you see her hair? I want that hair for my wedding or my prom’. I wanted us to be up there and pushing boundaries.

The technique of doing makeup on a show like Strictly is completely different to other shows…

You have to take into consideration that these dancers will be pinging around the dance floor at 100mph, turning themselves upside down and inside out, sweating and being out of breath. Makeup smudging and hair falling out is just something I could not have. So attention to detail is an absolute must, and to be the best of the best.

Lisa in the Strictly makeup room with Aljaz Skorjanec and Giovanni Pernice

At the start of a series, it’s me, seven makeup artists and two assistants…

When [the cast gets] smaller, there are six, and it goes down as the series goes on. It’s the same for hair. We have Lisa Davey who is the designer of the hair now, who has seven artists and two assistants.

There’s quite a team of us, but we’re working with so many people, including all the dancers, and we now have 20 pros. With all the extra numbers it’s a very busy show, with lots of looks in one night.

Makeup can come on and off the dancers as many as four times on filming days…

For example, in Blackpool this year, we put that orange graphic eye makeup and blue liner on Nancy four times during the day. We had to dress-run her concept look with Will, then we had to take that off to do the celeb reveal in the opening number, then we had to put that back on to go into the live show for her and Will’s dance, then take that off again to go into the opening number of the results show, and then put it back on to do the rest of the results show – and that’s just one person!

Will Mellor and Nancy Xu performing at Blackpool

It’s a lot of skill and a lot of technique to be able to do that whilst the pressure is mounting the minutes are ticking down, and the floor manager is saying, “Five minutes ’til live!”

A typical week on Strictly for me looks like…

On the Saturday evening, we get a confirmed concept document about midnight on how the next week’s show is going to look. It gives us a style of dance and staging, how the lighting is, if there are any props, the era it’s in and potentially what colours are on the screens or what colour the costume is.

Through the week, it’s a process where it builds and builds with every department pulling together to make decisions. On Friday, it’s confirmed with the execs the exact hair and makeup looks you’re going to do, so that’s then handed out to the team members who are actually executing them.

And then it’s fingers crossed for Saturday morning and that it runs like clockwork – and sometimes it doesn’t!

We don’t actually know what the makeup is going to look like on everyone’s face until each Saturday morning…

What I don’t think people really understand is how complicated, stressful and creative it is, because those looks are all there down on paper, but it’s completely different seeing it on paper to on someone’s face. The only chance we get to do that is on the show day.

We come in early in the morning and then the couples will be coming into hair and makeup when the schedule allows. We have them all pretty much tip-top perfect for the dress run, then we have two hours to fix any things that didn’t quite work.

It’s meticulously planned, but you can’t execute it until the day. All my ducks are in a row and ready to go, but where they waddle off to is anybody’s guess, because we are live!

We really have to think outside of the box for some looks, especially on theme weeks…

People don’t realise that we have to get really creative. They think it’s all professional makeup – and predominantly it is – but stuck around Tyler West’s face when he was Beetlejuice on Halloween Week was porridge oats, which were glued with eyelash glue and painted green to give him that grubbiness of the character.

It’s about thinking out of the box when we don’t have a million pound film budget or 100 hours to do something.

Tyler West dressed as Beetlejuice in Halloween Week this year

Every makeup artist will bring their own kit to work, and then I have the main Strictly kit there with all the extra bits…

Everyone is different because everyone likes and uses different things and everyone uses different things in our main kits.

You go to different places for different things – so, at the moment, I am sourcing a Santa beard for one of the couples on the Christmas show, but I can’t go and get that from Boots, so I have to get that from a specialist makeup shop. There are quite a few of them around, like ScreenFace or PAM, the professional makeup artistry shop. We go to them and then we can get all the adhesives, glues and if you needed things like bald caps.

It’s like a mass shopping list – preplanning and going over and over it to make sure that we’ve got that wig or those devil horns, or if we’ve remembered the paint for that.

After we film the results show straight after the live show, we have to bring everyone back into makeup and do a ‘de-rig’…

It’s taking off all the wigs, cutting out hair pieces, removing glue, taking eyelashes off, washing paint off faces if they’ve been characters, and then placing bits and bobs back in their boxes, clean down all the sides, pack all the make up away, clean the brushes, clear the room, and then go again the next week!

It’s gone midnight, sometimes 1am, by the time we get out. It’s a long day.

My favourite looks I’ve created on Strictly are…

I did think [Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton’s] Minions were genius – who knew that a metal coat hanger would come in so handy?

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Then I loved Halloween Week with Faye and Giovanni. That hair never stayed put until the live show – every time we did it, it dropped and collapsed. Her hair was quite short, so to have it scraped up and that big, thick plait stitched on there and then using in the choreography swinging it, we were like, ‘How is this going to stay up?!’

One of the girls just pinned it, gaffer taped it, sewed it, and then we all watched it on the screen through an open hand, and thankfully it worked on the night. It does get a bit hairy sometimes!

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[embedded content]

I also loved the creative journey I had with Sophie Ellis Bextor…

Her face is just insane and so beautiful, and she is so up for anything. I’d do big blue eye makeup and then stick orange crystals over the top, and she’d be like, ‘OK!’. It’s very on trend now, like when I did Ola Jordan for a spooky Alice In Wonderland group number and I couldn’t decide whether to do a pink or orange lip, so I did both – orange on the outer corner and then pink in the middle.

Then what happened a couple of months later on the pages of Vogue? The ombre lip! I’m claiming that!

Sophie Ellis Bextor with partner Brendan Cole on the show in 2013

It feels overwhelming to have won a Bafta and RTS award for my work…

It’s amazing and incredible and really overwhelming. You think, ‘Wow, my work is being looked at and is being noticed and being recognised by the industry.’

I’m not blowing up own trumpet, but Strictly is one of the biggest and best and most-watched shows on telly, so I feel it does deserve [awards for the show]. But when it comes to personal ones, I find it very emotional.

My top tips for getting the Strictly look this party season are…

You need a good eye shadow base, some loose glitter you can pop all over the lid and then a fabulous big lash.

On the market at the moment, there are so many things that don’t have to be for professional use – those glitter pen sticks from Collection 2000 in Superdrug or Boots. Just whack on a glittery eye, whack on a lash and off you go – party!

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Sunday at 7.15pm on BBC One.

Strictly Come Dancing Adds George Webster As Sixth Celeb For Christmas Special

Posted on 02/12/2022 by Boris Clair

The 22-year-old presenter and actor will take to the dancefloor with professional dancer Amy Dowden on the Christmas Day episode of the BBC ballroom show.

The news was revealed on Friday’s edition of Strictly companion show It Takes Two.

Speaking of joining the line-up, George said in a statement: “I love Strictly and have watched it every year. I’ve always dreamed of being on the show one year and I’m so excited to be on this year’s Christmas Special! To be partnered with Amy is such an honour, we get on so well, she’s so lovely and an amazing dancer.

“I’m looking forward to being Strictlyfied. Bring on the glitter and everything else. I can’t wait to perform on the Strictly dancefloor.”

Last month, George won a Bafta Children & Young People award for Best Presenter for his work on CBeebies.

He made history when he joined the BBC’s pre-school channel in 2021, being the first presenter on CBeebies with Down Syndrome.

George was also included in the top 20 in the Radio Times 100 list for creating change in entertainment and is in the Shaw Trust disability 100 power list.

Meanwhile, it was previously reported that former Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli would be returning to the ballroom for the Christmas special, where he’ll be performing a festive number.

The current series of Strictly Come Dancing continues on Friday at 8pm on BBC One, with the Christmas special airing on Christmas Day, time TBC.

Stephanie Beacham Pulls No Punches When Asked About Her Strictly Come Dancing Experience

Posted on 23/11/2022 by Boris Clair

Stephanie Beacham has admitted she didn’t exactly have the best time of it when she took part in Strictly Come Dancing.

The former Dynasty star was one of the contestants during Strictly’s fifth series back in 2007, during which time she was partnered with professional dancer Vincent Simone.

And while she and Vincent only lasted one week in the competition, it seems she doesn’t have the best memories of her time in the ballroom.

Speaking to OK! magazine, Stephanie recalled her time on Strictly as an “absolutely hateful” experience, but insisted she is still an avid viewer of the show despite it all.

“I’m a fan of Strictly and I think [Anton Du Beke] is doing a terribly good job [on the panel],” she explained. “But doing it was absolutely hateful.”

Stephanie in the Strictly ballroom with her dance partner Vincent Simone

While the majority of the celebrities who come through Strictly have spoken favourably about their experience on the show, Stephanie is far from the only star who had a rather different take.

Earlier this year, actor Laila Rouass described her Strictly stint as a “nightmare”, revealing: “I really wanted to leave, I didn’t enjoy it.”

Countdown presenter Rachel Riley also said she underwent therapy after competing on Strictly in 2013, and now avoids the show completely to avoid being triggered.

“I needed cognitive behavioural therapy after competing in 2013 and developed post-traumatic stress disorder,” she shared.

“If I heard the theme music, I’d start reliving the experience. It was scary and unnerving, so my way of dealing with it is to avoid watching.”

The 20th series of Strictly Come Dancing is currently airing on BBC One, with seven couples currently left in the competition.

However, only six will be performing during Saturday night’s live show, after it was confirmed that Kym Marsh had contracted Covid.

Strictly Come Dancing Result: Tyler West Sent Home After Dance-Off Divides Judges

Posted on 20/11/2022 by Boris Clair

Tyler West has become the eighth contestant to leave Strictly Come Dancing after he lost out to Molly Rainford in Sunday night’s dance off.

Saturday’s show opened with a spectacular extravaganza celebrating Strictly’s long awaited return to Blackpool after two years away due to the pandemic.

During Sunday’s dance-off, Tyler and his dance partner Dianne Buswell performed their Salsa, while Molly and her dance partner Carlos Gu performed their Jive again in a bid to impress the judges and remain in the competition.

After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts, but it was down to head judge Shirley Ballas to cast the deciding vote after Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke failed to unanimously decide who should go home.

Mollie and Tyler found themselves in the dance-off during Blackpool Week.

Craig and Motsi both chose to save Molly and Carlos, but Anton believed Tyler and Dianne deserved to stay in the competition.

With two votes for Molly and Carlos and one vote for Tyler and Dianne, it meant that Shirley would have to make the final decision.

Shirley said; “Well, I agree with my fellow judges, this is probably one of the most difficult dance off’s that we’ve ever had to choose.

“Both couples were outstanding, both improved their performances but I am going to go with what I believe in, and that is a quality of movement and precision in partnering, and I am going to go with Molly and Carlos.”

Tyler West and Dianne Buswell failed to impress after their Salsa in Blackpool.

When asked by Tess about his time on the show, Tyler said: “I’m more than a two step now! When you watch the show at home, you wonder what it must be like to dance on it, it’s everything and more, it’s changed my life.

“This girl here, has changed my life for sure. To think I was some shy kid who never used to talk to anyone, to dancing in front of millions, I can’t put it into words.”

He continued: “It’s my mum’s favourite show, I bought her to Blackpool, my nan bless her was always watching over me on this journey. But more importantly this show has changed my life in the sense it’s given me confidence, a new found family, every dancer, everyone in hair and make-up, costume. The judges, it’s been amazing to dance in front of you every week, I genuinely mean that.

“But this girl here, I have been blessed with the best, she is what Strictly is about and she’s changed my life, I have no doubt she will be in in my life forever.”

Tyler said his Strictly experience had "changed my life". — Tyler said his Strictly experience had “changed my life”.

Dianne was then asked if she had any words for her partner. She said: “Endless words! You have been an absolute joy to work with, when I say that, you have come in every single session with the biggest smile on your face and it lights up this whole ballroom.

“You are such a talent, you really are and you should feel so proud, I am so proud of you, your family are so proud and your nan is so proud of you. Thank you so much for everything.”

The remaining seven couples will take to the dance floor next week when Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One on Saturday 26 November at 7.15pm

Tony Adams Withdraws From Strictly Come Dancing Ahead Of Tyler West Dance-Off

Posted on 13/11/2022 by Boris Clair

Tony Adams has decided to withdraw from Strictly Come Dancing after sustaining an injury.

The BBC ballroom show had to cancel its latest elimination after the former footballer sustained an injury ahead of having to perform in the dance-off.

Tony and his partner Katya Jones had landed in the bottom two alongside Tyler West and Dianne Buswell during Sunday night’s results show.

Host Tess Daly explained to viewers: “Due to an injury sustained on Saturday night, Tony is unable to take part in the dance-off and has decided to withdraw from the competition. This means there will be no dance-off tonight and Tyler and Dianne are through to Blackpool.”

Tony later said of his time on the show: “It’s been emotional guys, I cried for the first month. I came in here with one message, if you’ve got an issue with mental health then please don’t suffer in silence and reach out for help.

“Little did I know that I was going to learn a lot about myself in the process. I thought this ‘journey’ rubbish was nonsense, but my god the rollercoaster of emotion. I’ve got to be honest, it’s tough, physically it’s really tough out there, but dancing is really fantastic for you. Go out there and enjoy it and pick up new skills and explore. I suppose I had better mention this one [Katya] hadn’t I, she is an exceptional human being, she really is.”

Tony and Katya performed a Jive on Saturday's live show — Tony and Katya performed a Jive on Saturday’s live show

Katya was then asked if she had any words for her partner.

“Tony Adams, I will be forever grateful that I was partnered up with you, do you know what I loved? I loved us, I loved that we didn’t care what people thought, we did every single dance our way!” she said.

“You have come here with a message, you led by example, and put yourself out there, and showed everyone you can do anything. And everyone deserves love and to be loved! I love you.”

Head judge Shirley Ballas added: “On behalf of the judges, we’ve enjoyed watching every second, you are truly what this show is all about, and we can only wish you the very best as you move forward. Please carry on dancing, carry on entertaining people, because you are a star.”

The remaining eight couples will take to the dancefloor next when Strictly Come Dancing returns to the Blackpool on Saturday 19 November at 7.45pm, with the results show following on Sunday at 7:20pm on BBC One.

Strictly Come Dancing Loses Ellie Simmonds After Yet Another Surprising Dance-Off

Posted on 06/11/2022 by Boris Clair

Ellie Simmonds has become the sixth celebrity to be eliminated from this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Over the weekend, the Paralympic swimmer landed in the bottom two alongside CBBC presenter Molly Rainford, despite them being in fourth and third place on the leaderboard during Saturday night’s live show.

After the two stars performed their routines for the second time, the judging panel unanimously said that while they’d been impressed with both of them, they wanted to save Molly.

Molly Rainford dancing with her professional partner Carlos Gu

Reflecting on her time on the show, the gold medallist told Tess Daly: “I’ve literally had the time of my life. It’s been the most incredible experience – life changing really.”

She continued: “I’ve literally loved waking up every single day and dancing, I’m going to dance forever. It’s incredible, this show is life changing.”

Turning her attention to her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin, Ellie continued: “He’s changed my life. We’ve had the most amazing days. We’ve had not just dancing days – but days we’ve just spoken for hours.

“The confidence you’ve given me – I seem confident but you know what I’m like, I worry about everything so so much and we’ve literally represented everything.

“We went out there any danced our life out every single night and I loved it so much.”

Ellie and Nikita dancing the Charleston together

A tearful Nikita then said: “I am a bit disappointed as I wanted Ellie to have a bit more time on this TV show, I know how much it means to her.

“I’m really happy that this journey has been with [Ellie], because she has taught me so so much, so much empathy. I’ve learnt so much in these seven weeks.”

“I love you Els,” he added. “I just want to tell you every single person in this room loves you.

“That is just to say how much of a beautiful human you are, you spend time to go to each person inside this room, you care about everybody, you are just such a wonderful human and I am so glad I’ve had the chance to dance with you.”

Nine Strictly couples now remain in the competition, with the next live show airing on Saturday night at 6.55pm on BBC One.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Helen Skelton Opens Up About Signing Up For Show After Marriage Split

Posted on 20/10/2022 by Boris Clair

Helen Skelton has admitted she was in two minds about signing up for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing after splitting from her husband of nine years.

Back in April, the former Blue Peter presenter announced that she and rugby star Richie Myler – with whom she shares three children – had parted ways, telling her Instagram followers at the time: “Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children.”

Just four months later, Helen was announced as one of 15 celebrities taking part in this year’s series of Strictly, which she revealed during a new interview with The Telegraph was not an easy decision.

“I was talking to my best friend about it and I was like, ‘I’m not sure, there’s the kids and the press and it will be full-on’,” she recalled.

“And she just went, ‘What a t*t! You’re going to get paid to dance around with a fit guy, people are going to put make-up on you, and you’ve got to work. It’s not real life, is it? Why wouldn’t you do it?’.”

Helen in her official Strictly press photo

Helen ultimately decided it would be “disrespectful” to turn the BBC show down, and said yes in the hope it would allow her family to see her “have a great time”.

The Countryfile host said: “When you’ve got kids, if they’re happy, you’re happy. My kid scored a hat-trick this week, and I was like, ‘Oh my God!’. And then I thought, ‘Oh, I do that to my mum and dad’.

“You don’t get it until you’ve got your own kids, do you? It gives you a different perspective.”

Prior to this year’s Strictly launch, Helen told HuffPost UK of her decision to sign up: “I just wanted to do something fun! It was a good chance for my family to see me smiling. And it’s a fun adventure.

“Anybody who’s had anything to do with Strictly will say, the make-up people are the best, the costume people are the best, the set designers are the best, the dancers are the best. So why wouldn’t you want to do something where everyone is literally at the top of their game and loving what they do?”

Helen has been partnered with professional dancer Gorka Marquez on the current series of Strictly, and while the pair have consistently received pretty good scores, she was told by the judges last week to work on her confidence and self-belief.

Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez on the Strictly dance floor

After they received their critiques on Saturday night, Gorka took a moment to give his celebrity dance partner a pep talk on air, telling her: “I know you’ve been made to feel like you’re not beautiful or good enough or anything, but if you don’t believe in yourself, I believe in you. Everybody here believes in you, your family believes in you.

“It doesn’t matter how many times I say it or the judges say it, you are the one who needs to make the change and believe in you, because you are a very inspirational woman and amazing mum and a brilliant dancer.”

This week, Helen will be paying homage to her old stomping ground with a routine inspired by Blue Peter as part of Strictly’s one-off BBC 100 special to commemorate the broadcaster’s centenary.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday night at 6.40pm on BBC One.

Strictly Come Dancing Says Goodbye To Matt Goss After Another Surprise Dance-Off

Posted on 16/10/2022 by Boris Clair

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Sunday night’s Strictly Come Dancing results show.

Matt Goss has become the third celebrity to leave the current series of Strictly Come Dancing.

The Bros singer and his professional partner Nadiya Bychkova fell to the bottom of the leaderboard in Saturday night’s live show, and were revealed to have landed in the dance-off after failing to secure enough public votes to save them.

What came as more of a shock was that they were joined in the bottom two by Kym Marsh, whose Samba routine had her at joint fifth place on the leaderboard with 32 points of a possible 40.

After both celebrities performed their dances again, the judges unanimously voted to save Kym and her professional partner Graziano Di Prima.

Craig Revel Horwood told the couples: “I think both couples went up a major notch, I mean Matt you went fantastically mad in that, I loved it, and Kym you were really great in that. But the couple I would like to save is Kym and Graziano.”

Motsi Mabuse agreed to save Kym and Graziano, while Anton Du Beke added: “I would just like to say you should both be thrilled with the way you performed in the dance-off, it’s the most high-pressured of situations.

“Matt – that’s your best performance of the whole series, you should be really proud of yourself. But the couple with the higher technical ability, I think for me, going through is Kym and Graziano.”

Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima on the Strictly dance floor

Although her vote ultimately didn’t count, Head Judge Shirley Ballas revealed she would have chosen the same pair as her colleagues.

Following his elimination, Matt said of his partner Nadiya: “This lovely lady beside me, a world champion with all the patience. I am very honoured to have danced with you.

“And to everyone who is still in, I love you guys, go smash it.”

Nadiya responded: “First I’m so grateful that I got to teach and dance with a music icon.

“But, more important than this, I got the privilege to get to know Matt, for who you really are. Not many people know you and you’re a beautiful soul, very kind human and a real gentleman.”

Matt and Nadiya in their official Strictly portrait

The remaining 12 couples will all be performing again next week, with each pair delivering a routine inspired by a BBC show, in honour of the broadcaster’s 100th anniversary.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday night at 6.40pm on BBC One.

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