A few days before Hallowe’en and Strictly Come Dancing served up a true shocker with the Week Five dance-off being contested between Amber Davies and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, statistically the second and fifth strongest celebrity dancers of the series. The judges could barely contain their disappointment – and two of them delivered dressing downs to the watching public at home. It was no surprise that all four judges chose to save Davies, sending the former Chelsea striker home.
With Balvinder Sopal having been in the past two dance-offs, it was assumed that the EastEnders actress would be taking part in a third, but fans have clearly come to her aid after an improved week. Kindly, Tess Daly announced Sopal and her partner, Julian Caillon, would be the first ones heading through to next week’s Hallowe’en special. Sopal could barely contain her tears as she thanked the voting public.
Hasselbaink and Oakley scored a 30 for their Prince-inspired American smooth – SHOWBIZ
The voting public, however, were about to get their wrists slapped. Hasselbaink and his partner, Lauren Oakley, received their highest score of the series, 30, for their Prince-inspired American smooth (despite being dressed as the purple sweet from a tin of Quality Street), while Davies and Nikita Kuzman received a strong 33 for their elegant cha-cha-cha to Ariana Grande. The weakest performance of the night belonged to YouTuber George Clarke, who scored 27.
Craig Revel Horwood did not mince his words. “It’s a bit of a shock,” he said, acidly. “The audience has put these couples here, where they don’t belong.” His fellow judge Motsi Mabuse looked veritably furious: “I am speechless to see you two here. But the public have spoken.” While Daly tried to talk up Hasselbaink’s chances in the dance-off – “There’s still everything to play for, isn’t there?” she said, forlornly – the judges would always save Davies. Both couples danced well, but it was a foregone conclusion.
Davies, the 2017 Love Island winner, came into the show as a last-minute replacement for the 2018 Love Island winner Dani Dyer, but rumblings about her prior dance experience have never gone away. Davies is now a West End musical star, having performed in shows such as Pretty Woman: The Musical and Legally Blonde. Her talent is evident, but the Strictly voters have never warmed to anyone who smells like a ringer. However, the judges were very clear – the Strictly voters have mucked up.
Why Hasselbaink was in the dance-off is more mysterious – perhaps Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City fans taking revenge for his stodgy performance towards the end of his career? The charismatic Dutchman has been a standout contestant, growing from flat-footed dad-dancer to respectable ballroom mover over the five weeks. The presence of his Strictly-obsessed daughters (who are also dancers) added to his charm. It all adds up to a miserable weekend for Chelsea.
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