Devoted fans of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing have expressed their outrage after a significant change on the show's spin-off, It Takes Two, revealed it was not broadcast live as many had assumed.
The Shocking On-Screen Revelation
The controversy erupted on Tuesday evening when host Fleur East returned to present the popular companion show. Earlier that day, it had been announced that contestant La Voix and her professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec would be unable to perform at the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom due to an injury. Under the show's rules, the pair were granted a bye, allowing them to progress to the following week automatically.
In a heartfelt statement, La Voix said, "My heart truly breaks knowing I won't be dancing in such an iconic venue. Aljaž and I have worked incredibly hard, and we were so excited to share our routine with everyone. I am devastated not to be joining the rest of the cast on that famous dancefloor, but my focus now is on recovery."
Fans Spot the Tell-Tale Sign
As It Takes Two began, viewers noticed that Fleur made no verbal mention of the day's major news. The show proceeded with its 'Top of the Bops' segment. It was only when Fleur introduced the track La Voix was meant to dance to that a message flashed on screen.
The caption read: "Sadly, La Voix will not be dancing this weekend due to injury. But in line with the rules, will receive a bye into next week." This on-screen message, addressing news that had broken hours earlier, was the definitive proof for fans that the episode had been pre-recorded, sparking immediate backlash on social media.
Viewer Backlash and Broader Concerns
Fans quickly took to platform X, formerly Twitter, to voice their frustration and disappointment. One viewer questioned, "Is anything on strictly filmed live anymore?? #Strictly." Another pointed out the timing, writing, "So #ItTakesTwo was pre-recorded before 1pm today then? #StrictlyComeDancing."
The incident has amplified ongoing discussions about the live nature of Strictly Come Dancing programming. Many fans are already critical of the Sunday results show being recorded on Saturday night, which frequently leads to spoilers leaking online. Angry viewers insist that broadcasting the results live on Sunday would prevent this and allow everyone to discover the outcome simultaneously.
This latest discovery has left a portion of the audience feeling misled, with one fan summing up the sentiment by stating, "Erm thought #ItTakesTwo was live ??? The La Voix news broke 3 hrs ago !!??? Typical #BBC!"
