An Emotional Tribute on the Dance Floor
Strictly Come Dancing contestant George Clarke moved audiences and judges alike with a deeply personal performance dedicated to his mother during Saturday's live show. The internet star revealed that his mother has recently been diagnosed with cancer, adding a profound layer of emotion to his routine.
In a pre-recorded video package aired before his dance, Clarke shared that his mother had previously been diagnosed with a brain inflammation condition, encephalitis, when he was just 16. “Unfortunately, recently, she got diagnosed with cancer,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “Nobody deserves what she’s gone through… there’s not a lot I can do to help so to give her this is special.”
Judges Divided on Technique and Emotion
Clarke and his professional partner, Alexis Warr, performed a rhumba to Lily Allen’s rendition of Somewhere Only We Know. While the performance resonated powerfully with the studio audience, it received a mixed response from the judges, earning a score of 29 points and placing them third from the bottom on the leaderboard.
Craig Revel Horwood offered a particularly critical assessment, stating, “Actually, it wasn’t a rhumba. So for me, it was difficult to judge…” He was booed by the audience but stood by his critique, acknowledging the story was “magnificent” and beautifully told, but concluding, “It just technically, was not great.”
In contrast, judge Motsi Mabuse was visibly moved, commenting, “As a feeling, and the emotions behind the dance, this was really very, very beautiful.”
Speaking after his dance, Clarke reflected on the significance of the moment. “You can tell your family you love them as much as you want, but it’s very rare to be able to have an opportunity to give them something. So that’s kind of what I wanted to do,” he shared.
The Battle for Blackpool Heats Up
The night was a crucial one for all couples, as they danced to secure a place in the following week's show at the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
Topping the leaderboard were reality TV star Amber Davies and her partner Nikita Kuzmin. Their powerful paso doble to Aerosmith’s Dream On earned a near-perfect 38 points, with Mabuse calling it “perfect” and Revel Horwood praising its “magnificent” drama and fire.
Soap star Lewis Cope and Katya Jones secured second place with 37 points for their tango, while actress Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe took third with 35 points for their elegant waltz.
Further down the table, the leaderboard saw a variety of performances:
- Drag artist La Voix and Aljaz Skorjanec placed fourth with 33 points for their couple's choice to Don’t Rain On My Parade.
- Football pundit Karen Carney and Carlos Gu scored 31 points for their American smooth.
- At the bottom, EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and reality star Vicky Pattison both scored 27 points with their respective partners.
The fate of all couples will be revealed in Strictly Come Dancing: The Results, which airs on BBC One on Sunday at 7.15pm.
