Strictly Come Dancing fans are worried that Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin could be the next couple eliminated from the BBC show after they were given the dreaded "death slot" during Icons Week on Saturday (October 17).
The couple performed a Rumba as Mariah Carey, with head judge Shirley Ballas labelling the routine "nervous" but the panel still full of praise. However, viewers were concerned as the pair went second in the running order, a position famously considered risky.
Fan Concerns Over Second Position
The "death slot" theory is a popular conspiracy among Strictly fans, who believe that whoever performs second is in danger of landing in the dance off. Viewers tend to remember high-energy routines or standout dances at the very beginning and later in the show, making it harder for the second couple to stick in the audience's mind by the time voting opens.
On X, @ca1usx wrote: "death slot rumba oh no" and @jess_frances_b agreed: "NOOOOOOOOOOO NOT THE DEATH SLOT!!!!!! I really need the voters to come through for Dani and Nikita now, everything seems to be against them this week!!!"
Dani's Strictly Journey
This year marks a second chance for Dani, who was forced to quit the show last series following a devastating injury in rehearsal. She was replaced at the last minute by West End star Amber Davies, who went on to reach the final.
Appearing on GK Barry's podcast, Saving Grace, Dani revealed how she struggled after having to leave the show, admitting she was "heartbroken" over it.
She said: "I remember going through it at the time. I was real sad in my room for like a good week. Jared struggles when I'm real sad, so he would just leave a coffee outside the door for me and be like, 'let me know if you need me'. In the end, my mum came around and she was like, 'we're changing your bed', I was like, 'I've got no purpose', she goes 'you're a mother of three, get up!'"
Judges' Scores
Despite the nerves, the judges awarded Dani and Nikita an impressive 25 points for their Rumba. Dani herself admitted she struggled with the routine this week, but thanked Nikita for all of his support.
