Strictly Come Dancing in fix row as fan favourites face ‘closest dance off’ of series and Angela Scanlon is sent home
STRICTLY Come Dancing viewers have branded the show a fix after the shock results of tonight’s dance off.
Irish TV presenter Angela Scanlon has missed out on dancing in the quarter-finals for the BBC One show‘s musicals special as she became the ninth person to be sent home.
In a surprising result the 39-year-old faced Bad Education star Layton Williams, 29, in the dance-off after they both landed in the bottom following the judges’ scores and a public vote.
Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke chose to save Williams and professional Nikita Kuzmin after they re-performed an American Smooth routine to It’s Oh So Quiet by Bjork.
Anton said: “I don’t think either couple danced as well as they can. It was the closest dance off we’ve had in the series so far.
“This is the only thing, I saw an error from one of the couples, so I’m going to vote to keep in to the quarter-finals, Layton and Nikita.”
However, head judge Shirley Ballas opted for Angela and professional Carlos Gu’s cha cha routine to I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.
Shirley, known as the Queen of Latin, said: “Well important for me always when it comes to Ballroom and Latin is the character of the dance, that it’s true to the dance, timing and quality and I would have voted for Angela and Carlos.”
However, she did not have to put down her casting vote and Angela, who previously presented the rebooted Robot Wars with Irish comedian Dara O’Briain and hosts Your Home Made Perfect, was eliminated.
Fans were not happy, however, that either couple were in the bottom two.
Taking to X, formerly twitter, one fumed: “It’s a fix. Did it last week. Put the strong contestant in the dance off so there’s only one choice when it comes to saving them. The other couple are out.”
A second added: “Layton in the dance off??? crazy.”
And a third ranted: “Making Angela dance again, going through the motions, no real surprise the judges will save Layton. They are just fuming it wasn’t Nigel in dance off with him so they could get rid of him, as the higher bookie favourite to him with viewers.”
A fourth also chimed in: “Should be annabelle v nigel in this dance off.”
Speaking after she learned she had got the boot, Angela said: “It’s been honestly incredible, I’m gutted, really gutted that it’s finished now, but it has been the most wonderful experience.
“I have made the best friend in this man (Carlos).
“We have had so much fun, he is such an incredible guy.
“He has supported me and picked me up and made me laugh so much.
“I don’t know what to say, it’s been magical honestly – all of those people up there.
“My husband at home, my two little girls and all my friends.”