Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas left professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova red-faced after she claimed that she caused an issue for Olympian Tom Dean during their Cha Cha routine.
Last week, Dean and Bychkova performed the Tango to Golden by Harry Styles and scored an impressive 23 out of a possible 40 – leaving them in good stead on the leaderboard.
Tonight they performed the Cha Cha to Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind & Fire and scored 20 out of a possible 40 which will be added to their score last week, determining where they land on the leaderboard ahead of tomorrow night’s elimination.
However, it was Ballas who picked up on a mistake from Bychkova which led to Dean getting a lower score than the original was going to give.
Being the first to comment on their performance, Ballas explained: “Well first of all I love a good Strictly student. Last week I demonstrated with Motsi and I asked you to stand much straighter and vertical and I thought you really made a good effort with that today.
“I am very pleased with that. And then there was a tiny little mishap, not on your part, but on Nadiya’s and you didn’t blink. You went with it ‘Don’t worry I have got you’.”
Whilst Ballas was speaking, host Tess Daly turned to Bychkova and pointed out that she had suffered a wardrobe malfunction where the leg of her sparkly jumpsuit had ripped during their performance.
Noting the blunder but continuing her critique, Ballas added: “Oh dear. But you carried on and coped and I loved that! Moving forward, just one thing, if you make a commitment to go on your left foot stay, if it’s your right foot, stay. I am very pleased with you today well done.”
After Ballas sang Dean’s praises, Craig Revel Horwood admitted he was less than impressed and noted: “I did not think you looked comfortable in that at all! It was not sitting right in your body, it lacked fluidity, your arms were too loose, and they needed placement.
“You need to dance to your height actually, that is what I felt. I am just telling him the truth let’s be honest. The body roll, if you are going to do a body roll my love, you need to isolate every inch of you, there was a quarter of a body roll.
“I suppose that’s enough for week two.”
Taking their comments on board, Dean said of his performance: “It is nerve-wracking going first. I text my coach and it’s like leading a relay off at the Olympics. You want to go off to a good start but I loved it.”
Bychkova added: “I am very happy, I have been working two weeks with this man and there is so much talent there. He works so hard and I am very proud of you. Just keep on doing what you are doing.”
Dean’s odds at winning the competition currently sit at 50/1 according to gambling.com, with Chris McCausland at the top with odds of 7/2, whilst Nick Knowles sits at 150/1.
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Elsewhere, a William Hill spokesperson, Lee Phelps, commented: “Toyah Willcox’s opening Tango was among the lowest-scoring in Strictly history so it’s no surprise that she finds herself top of our market to be the first eliminated this weekend at 11/8.
“The singer was 8/1 before she took to the dancefloor last weekend but her first routine fell flat and it will take a much-improved effort if she is to make it through to week three, while Paul Merson’s price for elimination has lengthened to 9/4 from 6/5 following his opening dance.
“However, both Toyah and Paul are heavy favourites to face each other in the dance-off this weekend at 1/3, with Toyah and Nick Knowles the next most likely at 11/10.”
