Strictly Come Dancing contestant Graeme Hall became visibly emotional during Sunday's results show after being saved by the public vote, and revealed he had a stroke in 2019.
The Channel 5 star and his partner Lauren Oakley finished at the bottom of the leaderboard on Saturday night's Halloween Week, but were rescued from elimination by viewers. Presenters Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe fronted the results programme on November 1.
Triple Dance-Off Twist
In an unprecedented moment in Strictly history, the Halloween results show featured a triple dance-off. The three couples with the lowest combined judges' scores and public votes competed against one another, with each judge revealing which couple they wanted to send home rather than voting to save.
Addressing Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, Graeme said: "Bottom of the leaderboard. I went out and danced the best I could, but, you know, the judges weren't so keen. So, thank you very much at home if you voted for us, you've saved my bacon and I can't thank you enough."
Emotional Revelation
Graeme struggled to contain his emotions, adding: "From the bottom of my heart." Lauren supported her partner as he became upset.
Graeme and Lauren will perform their Couple's Choice next week, which will convey a significant personal narrative. "I'm really excited about it, actually. We've seen a lot of different sides to Graeme so far. We've had fun Graeme and we've leaned into a lot of characters, but next week, we get the chance to see his softer, tender side," Lauren said.
Graeme continued: "Yeah, there's a side that I haven't really told people about. I had a stroke in 2019. I managed to recover fully, but my life changed completely. So, we'll be telling a little bit about that story next week."
Viewer Reaction
Audiences expressed their encouragement as they watched Graeme become visibly moved. "Aww. Glad Graeme has survived to dance his couple's choice," one individual posted on X. Another commented: "Graeme getting emotional at going through [tearful emoji]." A third remarked: "Aww bless him, got me teary as he spoke about his stroke."
Elsewhere in the results show, the professionals performed a Halloween group number to Dracula by Tame Impala. The episode also featured a musical performance by Becky Hill, joined by professional dancers Aleksandra Isaeva and Cristian Priori.
Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola finished Saturday evening at the top of the leaderboard with 36 points. Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita, and Graeme and Lauren, were at the foot of the rankings with 25 points each. Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
