Former Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse has criticised the show’s judges after being left infuriated by the “most frustrating episode” in the show’s history.
Mabuse, who won the show twice with Kelvin Fletcher and Bill Bailey in 2019 and 2020, complained that “a lot of the celebrities were underscored” by the judging panel, which includes her sister Motsi, asking: “What is going on?”
Jumping onto TikTok after the episode aired on Saturday (7 November), she said: “Ultimately, I just thought a lot of the dances were underscored, and when they were, I wondered if we were focused on the couple.
“It left me wondering why they were underscored – it left me wondering why they would give a certain score. That’s what I need to know: why we’re giving certain scores.”
Mabuse said the judges – including Motsi, Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke – need to offer better constructive criticism, stating: “Y’all need to tell people how to get better.”
TV personality Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmi topped the leaderboard with a total of 36 points, with YouTuber John Nellis and Katya Jones, as well as presenter Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby, coming in joint last with 26 points each.
But the judges were mostly left in disagreement with each other throughout the episode, with viewers believing that Revel Horwood undermarked Mercer and EastEnders star Lacey Turner, in particular.
Things were particularly tense considering actor Jaime Winstone, who has been in several dance-offs, automatically made it through with partner Carlos Gu to the next round due to an injury in rehearsals. She suffered a torn abdominal muscle.
Sunday’s results show (8 November) will mark Remembrance Sunday with a themed routine celebrating the women of the Second World War.
It follows last week’s elimination of Emmerdale star Lawrence Robb, who departed after the show's first-ever bottom-three dance-off.
Mabuse left the show in 2022 after seven years. She took part in I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2024, finishing in fourth place.
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