Strictly Come Dancing has been rocked by cheating allegations after viewers spotted professional dancer Katya Jones apparently signalling moves to her celebrity partner Lewis Cope during Saturday night's dramatic Instant Dance challenge.
The Instant Dance Carnage
The BBC show introduced its first-ever Instant Dance challenge, creating what fans described as pure "carnage" in the studio. The couples discovered live on air which of their previous dances they would need to perform again, followed by a frantic dash to find appropriate costumes from Strictly's extensive wardrobe.
The rules were strict: celebrities and their professional partners were banned from speaking to each other until they reached the dance floor, where they were granted just ten seconds to discuss their routine before the music started. The points awarded by judges would then be added to each couple's main score.
The Controversial Moment
While standing separately on the stairs ahead of their Jive performance, Katya Jones appeared to demonstrate a specific move to Lewis Cope using her arms and legs. Viewers quickly noticed the professional dancer lifting her leg to the side while maintaining eye contact with her partner - exactly the same move they would later use to conclude their dance.
The incident sparked immediate controversy on social media platform X, with many fans crying foul. One viewer wrote: 'No conferring till the ten seconds yet Katya does this to indicate to Lewis to jump through her leg like on Blackpool night. I'm sorry but that is cheating in the instant dance plain and simple.'
Another comment read: 'The one with no dance experience Balvinder was 2nd in Instant dance off. Doesn't that say it all. Katya and Lewis cheated as she signalled to him.'
Divided Reactions
Not all viewers agreed with the cheating allegations, however. Some rushed to defend the couple, arguing that the rules didn't explicitly prohibit non-verbal communication.
One supporter penned: 'LEWIS AND KATYA DID NOT CHEAT IN THE INSTANT DANCE CHALLENGE!! It was never said that the couples couldn't signal to each other on the stairs!!'
Another defender noted: 'People are saying they cheated because Katya signalled to Lewis on the stairs about the jump through her legs. But that wasn't even part of the jive, just a bit of fun they did at the very end, and they NEVER said the couples couldn't signal to each other anyway.'
The debate continued to rage online, with some pointing out that all couples reused elements from their previous dances, which was essentially the point of the challenge.
Chaos and Comedy
Elsewhere in the episode, viewers were treated to what many described as the most chaotic Strictly segment ever broadcast. The confusion extended throughout the studio, with judges swapping seats and host Claudia Winkleman sporting an unexpected fruit hat.
Fans absolutely loved the mayhem, taking to social media to express their delight. Comments included: 'This is pure chaos and I love it!' and 'The Instant Dance is chaos and it's not even started yet.' Many begged the producers to make the chaotic challenge a weekly feature.
Following the challenge, the judges awarded Lewis Cope the full six points, placing him at the top of the Instant Dance leaderboard. Balvinder Sopal secured five points, Amber Davies received four, Alex Kingston scored three, George Clarke got two, and Karen Carney finished last with just one point.
Other Episode Highlights
The cheating controversy wasn't the only dramatic moment of the evening. Earlier in the episode, Doctor Who star Alex Kingston, 62, delivered a disappointing performance during her disco-themed cha cha with professional partner Johannes Radebe, 38.
Despite her previous strong performances, Alex made multiple mistakes and scored just 24 points out of 40, landing at the bottom of the main leaderboard. Judge Oti Mabuse delivered a harsh assessment: 'One mistake I can forgive, two mistakes I will look the other way, three mistakes? I am not mother Christmas!'
Later, viewers expressed concern after spotting Alex apparently limping, with many worrying she might be forced to withdraw from the competition due to injury.
In better news, Love Island's Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin achieved the coveted perfect score of 40 for their jive, while footballer Karen Carney also secured full marks for her emotional couple's choice routine dedicated to her mother.
The Daily Mail has contacted the BBC for comment regarding the signalling controversy, but the corporation has yet to issue an official statement about whether Katya Jones broke any Strictly rules with her apparent pre-dance communication.
