Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left issuing the same complaint within minutes of the latest live episode kicking off. The BBC programme returned on Saturday evening (October 3), with Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe presenting Movie Week, which has landed sooner in the series than usual.
Fans Call for Lethabo to Get a Celebrity Partner
The programme opened with a spectacular professionals' routine, featuring the dancers delivering a Zootropolis-themed performance to Shakira's Try Everything and Zoo. The pros were led by newcomer Lethabo Monametsi, whose "mesmerising" stage presence had fans completely captivated.
This prompted viewers to voice frustrations about Lethabo not being allocated a celebrity partner this series. "I've seen enough give Lethabo a partner next year," one person insisted on X, reports Wales Online.
Another chimed in: "Lethabo is INCREDIBLE!! I wish she'd been given a partner, what a star she is!!" A third declared: "Lethabo is mesmerising to watch and we only get to see her in group dances."
Someone else remarked: "Lethabo should've had a celeb partner she is a STARR." A fifth admirer reinforced the view, stating: "That new dancer Lethabo might be the best female pro they've ever had."
Newcomer's Background and the Night's Competition
Lethabo has been accompanied by four other fresh faces this year. Aleksandra Isaeva and Cristian Priori have similarly not been given partners, while Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita have been paired with Cach Mercer and Tabby Stoecker.
Lethabo is an unbeaten South African Latin Champion who initially discovered her passion for dance while watching the South African edition of Strictly Come Dancing. She famously triumphed in the TV dance contest Dance Yo Dumo as part of Urban Wave, and has subsequently appeared as a performer on The Masked Singer SA.
Expressing her enthusiasm before stepping into the ballroom, Lethabo said: "This moment is bigger than me. I step into it with profound gratitude and deep humility, knowing it is the culmination of years of unwavering love, belief, and support from the people who dared to dream alongside me."
"Representing South Africa on the Strictly Come Dancing stage is far more than a career milestone, it is an honour beyond words. I cannot wait to embrace every extraordinary moment of this journey."
Following the professional routine, the 15 couples took to the floor attempting to wow judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood. During last week's show, John Nellis and Katya Jones secured the top spot on the leaderboard with 31 points, with Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington hot on their heels scoring 29 points.
At the opposite end of the table, Melanie Walters, Shaun-Wright Phillips and Sarah Storey each received 15 points from the panel. Last week's totals will be added to the scores from Movie Week to form a combined tally for each pairing. This precedes the series' inaugural elimination, scheduled for Sunday (October 4).
