Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley's latest Strictly Come Dancing routine has left viewers overwhelmed with emotion. Saturday night's programme marked the midway point of the competition as the remaining couples graced the ballroom floor once again in the hope of impressing judges Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas, and audiences watching at home.
Actress Jaime Winstone sat out the show owing to injury, but has been granted a bye through to next week when it is hoped she will dance once more with professional partner Carlos Gu, who claimed victory on Strictly last year alongside former footballer Karen Carney.
Emotional Couple's Choice dedicated to stroke recovery
Dog trainer Graeme and his professional partner Lauren Oakley delivered their Couple's Choice to The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel, dedicated to Graeme's personal experience of surviving a stroke in 2019.
Graeme spoke candidly about the symptoms he endured in a moving VT broadcast before their performance, admitting "it was scary" and "it never occurred to me that i'd be dancing again" before breaking down in tears, reports the Daily Star.
Judges' scores and fan reactions
The judges awarded Graeme and Lauren's routine 28 out of 40, and fans flocked to social media to applaud the performance. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one supporter wrote: "THAT couples choice was surprisingly touching."
Another added: "As someone who watched a family member go through a stroke last year (though sadly their story didn't have a happy ending) I am in tears over here." A third individual remarked: "That dance was amazing. So emotional. I lost my Dad to a stroke so this hit me in the feels." A fourth noted: "I was so emotional watching this couple's choice."
Graeme's message of hope
Speaking on BBC Morning Live earlier this week, Graeme revealed: "Well in 2019, I had a stroke and it's not something I've talk about publicly really, but I recovered fully. I was one of the lucky ones but it took quite a while and life changed in a big way, as you can imagine."
"So it's the Couple's Choice this weekend and we're dancing a song that, it's, I think it's a beautiful dance that's been put together, but it's about hope really. Whatever you're going through, whatever it is, sometimes you need to dig deep, keep on going because there's always hope and that's the theme of the song and I'm hoping it might inspire a few people."
Lauren continued: "With Couple's Choice we're always helped with an outside choreographer so I've had one of the assistant choreographer on the show choreographing for us this week and helping me. It's quite a lyrical piece of choreography, it's very ballroom based. We get the chance to see Graeme's more tender side because obviously we've a lot of characters so far. We've been green, we've been ABBA, we've been spies and we just want to show Graeme this week. We're really excited to perform it."
Graeme went on to reveal that he has received messages from stroke survivors since he spoke candidly about his personal experience on Strictly earlier in the series. He said: "There are times when you just need to see somebody who's come out the other side, and then you can kind of believe there is live after. So if it helps one person out there, this dance, it will be worth it."
Strictly Come Dancing: The Result airs Sunday, November 6 at 7.10pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
