Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole has claimed that Aljaz Skorjanec made a major mistake on last weekend's show, which he believes may have contributed to Melanie Walters' exit from the competition.
The Gavin and Stacey actress became the second contestant to leave the competition after finding herself in the bottom two alongside Shaun Wright-Phillips. Following both celebrities' performances in the dance-off, the judges were split over who to save. However, as the judge with the deciding vote that week, Anton Du Beke opted to save Shaun and his dance partner, Alexis Warr.
Charleston score and choreography help
Aljaz and Melanie performed a Charleston to Gina G's Ooh Ahh... Just a Little Bit, earning 17 out of 40 points from the judges, their highest score. During the VT ahead of their performance, it was revealed that Aljaz had enlisted the help of Jenny Thomas, one of the show's choreographers, who specialises in Charleston, Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz.
Speaking to Sky Vegas, Brendan suggested that bringing in extra help in the rehearsal room may have been a mistake for Aljaz.
Brendan's verdict on the routine
He said: "First of all, I think the pros should be choreographing their own routines. Aljaz is a great dancer and Strictly pro, yet he had a choreographer come in to do his Charleston.
"He doesn't have a Charleston background, but he's still a good enough dancer and choreographer to choreograph his own Charleston. Perhaps this was a mistake?"
Brendan went on to claim that "using external choreographers can be a risk".
"Jenny Thomas, who did his choreography, is a great choreographer, a lovely lady," he added. "I've worked with her for many years and she's always done a great job.
"After weeks of getting to know his partner Aljaz will understand her capabilities and her weaknesses better than someone meeting her that week," he continued. "He might have gotten better out of Melanie if he had choreographed it himself. But ultimately, she wasn't a good dancer and she wasn't able to do what Jenny asked of her, nor perhaps what Aljaz would have asked of her."
Aljaz's tribute and what's next
Following the result, Aljaz shared a heartwarming tribute to Melanie alongside a picture of the pair together. He wrote: "Thank you @bbcstrictly for giving me the gift of dancing with the national treasure that is @melaniewalters2025!
"I thoroughly enjoyed every single day in rehearsals and will cherish our moments on the Strictly floor forever," he added. "All the love we received from so many people has been heartwarming and so humbling! THANK YOU."
The remaining 13 dancing duos will return to the dance floor this weekend, hoping to move one step closer to lifting the coveted Glitterball trophy. Strictly Come Dancing: Icons Week continues Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One.
