Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood admitted he became emotional while watching Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley's performance, as it brought back memories of a beloved former star who passed away three years ago.
On Saturday evening (October 10), the remaining 14 couples graced the dance floor hoping to wow the panel for another week. Near the programme's conclusion, Strictly audiences witnessed the dogfather Graeme Hall and his professional dance partner deliver an energetic Jive routine.
Craig's poignant tribute
When the time came for the judges' critiques, Craig made a poignant revelation. He told Graeme: "I felt like I was watching dear Len Goodman with the flatcap. It brought back some memories, I got a bit emosh darling through that. I'm not going to cry, don't worry."
Len served as head judge on the BBC programme from its launch in 2004 until 2014, though he made his final appearance on the show in 2016. Tragically, Len died in 2023 aged 78 following a battle with bone cancer.
Graeme's emotional confession
When Graeme headed upstairs to chat with Johannes Radebe, he also became visibly moved as he confessed to the presenter that he was 'terrified' about their routine mid-week, reports Wales Online. He remarked: "I had a bit of a meltdown Wednesday. I didn't think I'd be doing that, but we did it."
After gathering himself, he shared with Johannes that he'd thoroughly enjoyed performing the dance alongside Lauren. When the moment arrived to receive their scores from the panel, three judges awarded him a six, while Anton Du Beke offered a marginally better mark of seven. This delivered a combined total of 25 points for their jive performance.
Viewers react on X
It didn't take long for viewers to flock to X to share their thoughts on Craig's observation linking Graeme to Len, with many expressing their agreement.
One viewer posted: "It's so funny Craig mentioned about Graeme looking like Len Goodman because I've been saying the exact same thing all evening, then thinking, 'Don't be so ridiculous' #strictly #strictlycomedancing."
Another fan penned: "#Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing I love the fact that Len Goodman's legacy still lives on."
While a third shared: "Aw, that did feel very Len Craig is absolutely right, Len would've loved Graeme I feel x." A further viewer remarked: "I miss Len Goodman too, Craig. #Strictly". While someone else added: "Len would be proud of this one, forever proud of Lauren and Graeme."
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday on BBC One from 6.15pm.
