Strictly Come Dancing has come under fresh scrutiny after its first-ever three-couple dance-off for the festive special ended with Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystal being eliminated on Halloween, prompting viewers to question the fairness of the voting system.
The Emmerdale actor and his professional partner were the fifth couple axed from the show, going up against Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu and Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu. All three couples repeated their performances to advance, but Robb was forced to leave the competition.
First Three-Couple Dance-Off Sparks 'Unfair' Claims
BBC viewers dubbed the result "unfair," with many saying two couples should have been axed if three were dancing against each other, since the two saved couples are likely to be in next week's dance-off.
The Halloween twist came as the show continues to deal with the fallout from major line-up changes. The departure of hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman and the exits of professional dancers Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez and Nadiya Bychkova cast a shadow over the programme.
New Presenters and Judge Speculation
The introduction of three new presenters - Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe - has divided fans. Attention is also on the judging panel, with whispers circulating that they, too, could be eyeing the door.
Despite sources insisting it "just isn't working," Express understands that Strictly staff aren't aware of any imminent changes to the show's line-up, while a BBC spokesperson confirmed, "This is pure and utter speculation."
Public Vote Under the Spotlight
The voting system appears to be somewhat flawed. For the past few weeks, actress Jaime Winstone and her dance partner have landed in the bottom two, and each time the judges have chosen to save her. It's clear that she is one of the more talented performers on the programme and was not one of the worst dancers, but the public vote ultimately decides when a celebrity enters the dance-off.
It comes down to a popularity contest. If the public isn't supporting you, it's not uncommon to end up in the dance-off every week until the judges finally agree it's time for you to leave.
It's happened before. EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal broke the record for being in the most dance-offs last year. In total, she was in six dance-offs, and every single week the judges chose to save her before she'd end up in the bottom two again the following week. It was uncomfortable viewing and is not what Strictly Come Dancing is about.
It may be high time Strictly got rid of the public vote altogether and left the decision to the judges. Alternatively, the judges could vote on who should be in the dance-off and then the public could decide who should be sent packing.
New reports have since claimed bosses are holding crisis talks to revamp the show. But the latest Halloween twist just proved the current voting system needs revamping more than anything else.
