Strictly Come Dancing professional Maddie Ingoldsby was moved to tears while discussing her Couples' Choice routine with celebrity partner Cach Mercer, a performance that drew mixed reactions from viewers on social media.
During Saturday evening's show on October 10, Cach and Maddie performed a Couples' Choice routine, a dance style that allows celebrities to showcase a more personal style rather than traditional ballroom or Latin steps.
Mixed reactions from viewers
Some fans took to social media to criticise the timing of the routine, with one person saying: "Every pair should do their Couples Choice on the same week! #Strictly." Another agreed: "For the umpteenth time, they should have a couples' choice week. How can you have trained Latin/ballroom judges mark a 'fusion freestyle streetdance' against actual set steps of a Waltz, Samba or Tango that they will say are wrong?"
One viewer commented: "All couples' choices should be in the same week #strictly," while another added: "Hmmm, I’m probably in the small minority, but I was not a fan of that couple's choice at all for Cach. I’m just not really a fan of couples' choice in general, but that was not for me #Strictly."
However, other fans were delighted by the decision to perform the routine so early in the series. One person commented: "This is what you call a couple's choice dance. This was amazing, and it's only week 3. Love watching Cach and Maddie on the dancefloor." Another said: "Cach and Maddie were amazing. I'm glad Cach got to do his couple's choice and show what he can do."
Emotional reflection from Maddie
Speaking with Johannes Radebe upstairs after the performance, Maddie reflected on stepping outside her comfort zone with the dance style that Cach knows well. She explained: "I'm going to cry! Obviously, it was really out of my comfort zone and also Cach's as well, so in this experience, we went through it together, and it was a nice way to put myself in his shoes as well because that's how he's felt for the past three weeks."
She continued: "I couldn't have done it without him. I'm going to start tearing up, gosh. But, he really inspires me, and I think he's amazing-" Maddie could not finish her sentence as she became overcome with emotion while Cach embraced her as they awaited their scores.
Judges' scores and next steps
The judges awarded the routine a combined total of 31 points, with Craig Revel Horwood giving a seven and the other three judges all giving eight points.
Audiences will need to wait until the results programme on Sunday, October 11, to discover whether Cach escapes the feared dance-off. Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday on BBC One from 6:15pm.
