Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan has criticised content creator Cach Mercer and professional partner Maddie Ingoldsby's street dance-inspired Couples' Choice routine, saying he does not want to watch dances like that on the BBC show.
Cach and Maddie earned a score of 31 from the judges for their performance on Saturday, October 10, placing them joint second on the leaderboard for week three. While the routine impressed the judges, it did not go down well with everyone.
James Jordan's verdict on the routine
James, who was on the show for eight years until he left in 2013, said that while Cach is a good dancer, he did not want to see that type of routine on Strictly. Speaking via WhichBingo, he remarked: "Shock horror, a professional street dancer being good at street dance. What shocked me more was how good Maddie was in that dance, because it's totally out of her comfort zone. I think she's a brilliant addition to the Strictly family as a professional dancer, showing her versatility."
He added: "I thought she was bloody amazing, because she was out of her comfort zone - and that just shows you, right? She's not a street dancer. However, she's a brilliant dancer, so she was able to do his style. He is a dancer doing our style, so it is a massive advantage. For me, this dance has no place on Strictly."
James continued: "And although people might be wowed with it, there are no real partnering skills apart from a couple of tricks. I just don't want to watch dances like that. I want to watch the ballroom and Latin. I don't want to watch street dance."
Viewers react to Cach and Maddie's performance
Nevertheless, some viewers were full of admiration after witnessing Cach's performance. One person on X wrote: "I think Cach and Maddie have just smashed the night." Another posted: "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."
A further viewer declared: "CACH KILLED THAT....... WOW HE IS SO GOOD !!!!!!" As yet another enthusiast shared: "Forever stuck on Cach and Maddie. It's so refreshing to see a couple like this on strictly."
Maddie's emotional reaction
Upon completing their routine, Maddie was visibly emotional while speaking to presenter Johannes Radebe. Reflecting on venturing beyond her comfort zone with the dance style that Cach knows so well, she said: "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. 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 was unable to finish her sentence as she became overwhelmed with emotion, with Cach stepping in to embrace her before the judges revealed their scores. Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday on BBC One from 6:15pm.
