Strictly pro Michelle Tsiakkas has leapt to the defence of her celeb partner Jamie Borthwick following low scores from the judges.
The pair danced a Jive to The Ketchup Song (Aserejé) by Las Ketchup which failed the impress.
The public saved Tsiakkas, 29, and Borthwick, 30, from the dreaded dance-off despite finishing third from last place on the Strictly leaderboard.
EastEnders star Borthwick and Tsiakkas earned eights from all judges but Anton Du Beke, who awarded them a nine.
While appearing on the Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two, Tsiakkas vehemently defended her partner.
It Takes Two host Fleur East asked the couple about criticism they received from judges after some fans claimed Borthwick was unfairly talented.
Tsiakkas leapt in, grabbing her partner and declaring: “The judges are critical of you, they’re very critical of you.”
Cooling a moment, she added: “We’re open to constructive criticism, we want it.”
However, the Cypriot dancer wanted to make clear that her partner “goes out there and every Saturday and performs his heart out”.
“I feel it, the audience feels it, the people at home feel it. And that’s what Strictly is about.”
“That’s what I want you to keep doing,” she concluded.
Borthwick, wowed by Tsiakkas’ passion, was more measured in his response.
“At this stage in the comp, they do want the standards to be very high,” the EastEnders star began.
“If you’re not delivering that perfection, they are going to notice that” he conceded, referencing judges’ comments over his technique.
Despite that, the 30-year-old was proud that he and Tsiakkas were “giving it our absolute best.”
“I am more than happy with everything that we’ve done. It’s been brilliant,” Borthwick concluded.
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While other bottom half dancers Pete Wicks and Montell Douglas will be watching their back next week, Tsiakkas and Borthwick will hope to return to their best as the number of competitors dwindles.
The couple will dance a Foxtrot to Stand By Me by Ben E King which they will dedicate to the “nearest and dearest” who have “stood by them” in their careers.
