Fans of Strictly Come Dancing were taken by surprise during Sunday’s episode when host Claudia Winkleman dropped an unexpected announcement.
As the show entered its second week, the contestants were gathered on the familiar blue sofa in the ‘Clauditorium’ when Claudia unveiled some exciting news about the upcoming week.
Movie Week Debut
For the third week of the competition, themed Movie Week, Claudia revealed that professional dancer Gorka Marquez and his celebrity partner, Dr. Punam Krishan, would be performing the first Couple’s Choice routine of the series.
This unique format, introduced in 2018, allows couples to showcase a freestyle dance that isn’t limited to the usual Latin or ballroom styles.
However, fans were shocked since the Couple’s Choice is typically not seen until later in the competition.
Turning to Gorka and Dr. Punam, Claudia exclaimed, “Gorka, you two are doing the first Couple’s Choice of the series!”
Gorka, who has been in a long-term relationship with former Strictly contestant Gemma Atkinson, responded with excitement, stating, “What we’re doing is for the first time. This dance style has never been done before.”
The other contestants were equally surprised, responding with gasps of excitement.
Mixed Reactions from Viewers
Not everyone was thrilled about the early introduction of the Couple’s Choice, and some viewers took to social media to express their discontent.
Comments ranged from “No. Absolutely no need for a Couple’s Choice in week 3 #SCD #Strictly” to “Couples choice is just a blank canvas to hand out high scores and save somebody. It needs to be binned. #Strictly.”
The Couple’s Choice category first made its appearance in series 16, where couples had the option to choose between three dance styles: contemporary, theatre/jazz, and street/commercial.
This format evolved in Series 19 to become a freestyle dance, allowing for even more creativity.
An Unexpected Elimination
In another surprising turn of events, Olympic swimmer Tom Dean became the first celebrity to be eliminated from the competition.
Tom, a triple Olympic gold medallist at just 24, and his pro partner Nadiya Bychkova faced off against Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones in a tense dance-off.
After both couples repeated their routines, the judges made their decisions.
Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse opted to save Toyah and Neil, while Anton Du Beke chose to keep Tom and Nadiya in the competition.
Ultimately, head judge Shirley Ballas had the final say and decided to save Toyah and Neil.
Reflecting on his time on the show, Tom shared with host Tess Daly, “I’ve had the best time the last few weeks. Working with Nadiya has been incredible.
I wish I could have gone further and done more dances.”
Nadiya echoed his sentiments, praising Tom for his hard work and gentlemanly nature, stating, “Sometimes to win, you don’t need to win, and that’s how I feel this year.”
A Bizarre Moment with Craig
The show also featured a moment that left viewers feeling puzzled.
During the Saturday night performances, Craig Revel Horwood made a bizarre comment about Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri, calling her “Skibidi rizz, darling. Ski-bi-di rizz!”
According to Urban Dictionary, the term refers to a level of charisma popularized by Gen-Z, but many viewers found it confusing and criticized the show for trying too hard to connect with younger audiences.
Looking Ahead
As the competition progresses, the remaining 14 couples are gearing up for the Movie Week special.
Tom and Nadiya will be featured in their first exclusive televised interview on Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday, sharing their experiences with fans.
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