Strictly Come Dancing professional Kai Widdrington has been ruled out of the show after a mystery illness landed him in hospital, while tensions on the judging panel have prompted calls for a softer approach as Blackpool week approaches.
Widdrington's absence meant his celebrity partner Delta performed her Argentine Tango with Aljaz Skorjanec at short notice. Despite having had no practice together, Delta's last-minute routine was described as astonishing, proving she is a total professional. It remains unclear whether Widdrington will be able to return to the show, but Delta's performance suggested the show must go on.
Men bounce back after difficult week
The latest episode saw a complete reshuffle of the leaderboard after women dominated the previous week's scores. Cach Mercer topped the standings with an impressive Charleston, earning a whopping 39 from Maddie Ingoldsby's choreography. Mercer had struggled with the newcomer's routines in the past, but his natural ability could not be manufactured in a dressing room. With a different professional partner, he would be miles ahead of the other men.
While Mercer soared, the male professionals found themselves in the firing line. Nikita Kuzmin and Vito Coppola both received stern telling-offs from the judges over their choreography. Craig Revel Horwood quipped to Kuzmin: "You're taking the mick, darling." Coppola then hit back at a fuming Craig after being told he had broken the foxtrot dancing rules.
Judges under fire for harsh criticism
The pressure was palpable with Blackpool looming, and the judges were not holding back. Craig and Shirley Ballas have been particularly unforgiving in recent weeks. Lacey looked on the verge of tears from their feedback, while Graeme Hall and Will Best received cutting jibes from both Craig and Anton Du Beke.
It must be hard for the judges to strike the right balance between fun and feedback, but last night felt particularly tense. Craig and Shirley have been fighting over the villain role recently, but there can only be one. One of them needs to tone it down, or they may find themselves redundant next year.
Questions over Neil Jones' future
Attention also turned to Neil Jones, who was not asked to step up despite not having a partner. It is time to put him out to pasture if there are no plans to partner him, as watching him fight for attention in the background is getting more and more painful.
With the stars rising to the top, it will be all to play for next week at Blackpool. The hope is that the judges remember Strictly is at its best when the dancing does the talking, not when they are doing a courtroom cross-examination of increasingly frustrated stars. The glitz and glamour of Blackpool cannot come soon enough, and hopefully everyone will have a bit of fun with it.
