Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley's latest Strictly Come Dancing performance has left viewers deeply moved. Saturday (November 7) evening's programme marked the midway stage of the series as the remaining couples returned to the ballroom floor once more, hoping to impress the judging panel - Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas - along with audiences at home.
Emotional Couple's Choice Routine
Actress Jaime Winstone was unable to perform this evening owing to injury, but she has been granted passage through to next week when it is anticipated she will dance once more with professional partner Carlos Gu, who claimed the Strictly title last year alongside former footballer Karen Carney.
Dog trainer Graeme and his professional partner Lauren Oakley delivered their Couple's Choice to The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel, which was dedicated to Graeme's personal journey of surviving a stroke in 2019.
Graeme Opens Up About His Stroke
Graeme spoke openly about the symptoms he encountered in an emotional pre-recorded segment which played before their routine, where he confessed "it was scary" and "it never occurred to me that i'd be dancing again" before becoming visibly emotional.
The judging panel awarded Graeme and Lauren's performance 28 out of 40, with supporters taking to social media to commend the routine. Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, one viewer shared: "THAT couples choice was surprisingly touching."
Another posted: "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."
Viewers React on Social Media
A third viewer commented: "That dance was amazing. So emotional. I lost my Dad to a stroke so this hit me in the feels." A fourth added: "I was so emotional watching this couple's choice."
Earlier this week, appearing on BBC Morning Live, 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."
Behind the Choreography
Lauren added: "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 been inundated with messages from stroke survivors since he spoke openly about his own 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.
