STRICTLY's AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington have hit back at claims they cheated in last weekend's dance off – and sent Dan Walker dancing home.
Viewers have questioned if AJ and Kai changed up their routine for their second performance which aired in the results show on Sunday. The dance partners explained that they successfully executed the move the second time around – allowing them the chance to sail through to the semi-finals.
AJ said: "I felt like a star, but then it all went downhill. I got tangled up, just a cheeky little tangle."
Her partner Kai continued: "We had incredible choreography last week but I said to them, we don't want to leave it to chance and we would be doing an injustice to AJ if we didn't push the boundaries.
"You would feel the same way because you want to push the boundaries, you want it to be memorable, you don't want it to be just 'okay'. I just didn't do my best. I'd rather do that and go wrong than just play it safe. I think it's good that we pushed the boundaries."
AJ then added: "We've never once played it safe. Every single dance has been outside of my comfort zones for sure and I know that it's a tough routine because it was challenging for Kai as well. That's when you know, when the pro finds it hard.
"But genuinely I would much rather stumble going for it than just having the ride."
Read our Strictly live blog below for the latest news and gossip…
- Joseph Gamp
Who performs the songs on Strictly Come Dancing?
Strictly Come Dancing is not just loved by audiences for the brilliant dancing, but also for the great live music.
Musical director and arranger Dave Arch is the man in charge of the band.
He is a British pianist, conductor, arranger and composer who has enjoyed a prolific career covering a broad spectrum of the music business including albums, films, and commercials, live and television work.
He is also the Musical Director for recent productions of the Royal Variety Performance show on ITV as well as shows like Popstar To Operastar.
- Joseph Gamp
Strictly’s John & Johannes inspire fans to come out
John Whaite and Johannes Radebe have made history on Strictly Come Dancing, and are now fighting for their shot at the Glitterball as the finale gets nearer.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, John and Johannes talked about the impact their participation has had on the LBGTQ+ community and the importance of men showing their vulnerable side.
John said: People have said we’ve given them the ability to come out. People have actually said, thanks to you and Johannes, seeing their parents’ reaction to two men dancing, has given them the reassurance they needed to say “I’m gay”, or “I’m lesbian”, or “I’m queer”.
“Particularly for people to open up to us like that, and tell us their stories… every single day we get messages like that, and it’s extremely humbling to be a catalyst for those people.”
Strictly’s John Whaite continued to say: “That’s what we wanted to do when we joined forces, Johannes and I, to become this partnership. We hoped that it would be bigger than us, because it is bigger than us.
“The message we are giving off is much bigger than the two of us, and it will last longer than the two of us lasts.”
- Joseph Gamp
Dan Walker says he'd 'have put AJ & Kai through'
Dan Walker has said “the best four dancers” are in the semi-finals on Strictly Come Dancing following his exit over the weekend.
Speaking on It Takes Two on Monday, Dan pointed out: “We did ten weeks of the competition without ever being in the dance-off
“Having never danced before, and being fearful of the dance floor when I started out, to get to week 11, we knew it was going to come at some stage, didn’t we?
“Because everyone in the competition is so good. I think the important thing is, the best four dancers are in the semi-final… As I said in the dance-off, I would have put AJ and Kai through as well.
“It’s an entertainment show but it’s also a dancing competition and they were the best by a mile. We all said that on day one.”
- Joseph Gamp
Giovanni says he and Rose 'have already won'
Speaking to The Sunday Times Culture magazine, the hunk said: "If we win, it’s the cherry on the cake.
But this year has already been phenomenal for me and Rose. Realistically, we have already won."
Giovanni also explained how he’s changed his way of teaching as a result, adding: "I have to make steps that are more visible for her when I explain what to do.
"I can’t really play with changes of rhythm because that is difficult for us."
Rose weighed in on how she’s become more confident, saying: "When we first started, and I did solos I felt completely on my own.
"Now, even when I am doing a solo – like the bit with the fan at the beginning of the Paso Doble last week – out of the corner of my eye I can see Giovanni, giving me the timing."
- Joseph Gamp
Dan Walker clarifies missing live tour
Dan Walker has explained why he will not be making an appearance on the upcoming Strictly Come Dancing live tour.
Posting on his Twitter account on Wednesday night, he said: “I can’t wait to take my family to watch the Strictly tour this year but I sadly won’t be part of it.”
“I have too many work commitments and I want to be at home after spending so much longer on the actual show than I ever expected.”
- Joseph Gamp
Kevin Clifton on BBC’s dance change rule (Continued…)
Joanne, who was also a professional dancer on Strictly from 2014 to 2016, admitted: “I can’t remember either!
“That’s what I was going to ask you because, to me, it looked like what the lift was supposed to be was the one where the leg goes over the head, she swings down, and then he puts her down.
“And then the second video of the clip that I saw, she went into a split and went down again.
“But I don’t know, I might be wrong. I don’t know whether you’re allowed to change the routine or not,” Joanne explained.
Kevin replied: “I’m trying to think, but I don’t want to say the wrong thing.
“There’s something in me saying that there was a rule that we’re not allowed to change anything about the routine for the dance-off.
“But I could be wrong, there’s something in me for some reason that rings a bell.
“But I don’t know, and rules change all the time, so maybe it’s different now.”
- Joseph Gamp
Kevin Clifton on BBC’s dance change rule
Kevin Clifton has spoken out about the BBC’s rule about not changing routines during the dance-off.
This comes after AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington sparked controversy when one of their tricky lifts seemed different on Sunday night’s results show.
Dance expert Kevin addressed the backlash on his self-titled podcast, The Kevin Clifton Show, this week.
His co-host and sister Joanne Clifton brought up the incident, admitting: “I haven’t seen the dance-off, but it’s been talked about a lot on social media, did they change the lift or not, and is that against the rules to change it?”
Kevin, who quit his role as a Strictly pro in 2020 after seven years on the BBC show, said: “There was a ruling on this, wasn’t there? I can’t remember.”
- Milica Cosic
Strictly's John & Johannes inspire fans to come out
John Whaite and Johannes Radebe have made history on Strictly Come Dancing, and are now fighting for their shot at the Glitterball as the finale gets nearer.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, John and Johannes talked about the impact their participation has had on the LBGTQ+ community and the importance of men showing their vulnerable side.
John said: People have said we've given them the ability to come out. People have actually said, thanks to you and Johannes, seeing their parents' reaction to two men dancing, has given them the reassurance they needed to say "I'm gay", or "I'm lesbian", or "I'm queer".
"Particularly for people to open up to us like that, and tell us their stories… every single day we get messages like that, and it's extremely humbling to be a catalyst for those people."
Strictly's John Whaite continued to say: "That's what we wanted to do when we joined forces, Johannes and I, to become this partnership. We hoped that it would be bigger than us, because it is bigger than us.
"The message we are giving off is much bigger than the two of us, and it will last longer than the two of us lasts."
- Milica Cosic
Strictly’s Giovanni & Rose pick up award
Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice has shared his pride after he and Rose Ayling-Ellis won their first joint award.
The couple’s 10 seconds of silence during their contemporary dance meant they have been named as Heat Magazine’s TV moment of the year.
Giovanni took to Instagram with a picture of the pair holding onto their awards.
Staring in shock at each other, Giovanna wrote to his followers: “TV MOMENT OF THE YEAR.
“Thank you so much to @heatworld for this award, we are very grateful.
“This dance meant so much to us and we are so proud that we could show a glimpse into Rose’s world and represent the deaf community in this way.
“We will both remember this ‘unmissable moment’ forever.”
- Milica Cosic
Strictly’s Shirley Ballas to marry again
SHIRLEY Ballas is set to wed for a third time after boyfriend Danny Taylor did a quickstep to the jeweller’s for an engagement ring.
Friends are hoping for an announcement in the new year, saying Strictly head judge Shirley, 61, will be waltzing up the aisle to marry actor Danny, 48.
He bought the diamond sparkler earlier this year — and she has been leaving it to him to propose, pals say.
A source said last night: “Shirley and Danny are blissfully loved-up — almost irritatingly so!
“They actually went ring shopping earlier this year and, after Shirley spotted one she liked, Danny went and bought it.
“Shirley is quite traditional, and definitely wants Danny to get down on one knee and do the proposing — after asking her mum for her blessing first.
“But Danny obviously wants it to be a surprise.
“And also, understandably, he doesn’t want to feel pressurised into anything before he’s ready.
“Neither of them are in any hurry and they’re really happy taking things day by day."
- Milica Cosic
When is Strictly next on?
Strictly continues on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 7.05pm.
The results show will air the following day at 7.20pm on Sunday, December 12, 2021.
The final is on Saturday, December 18, 2021.
You can also catch any missed episodes on the BBC iPlayer.
- Milica Cosic
Eliminated star says 'best four dancers' are left
Dan Walker has said "the best four dancers" are in the semi-finals on Strictly Come Dancing following his exit over the weekend.
Speaking on It Takes Two on Monday, Dan pointed out: "We did ten weeks of the competition without ever being in the dance-off
"Having never danced before, and being fearful of the dance floor when I started out, to get to week 11, we knew it was going to come at some stage, didn't we?
"Because everyone in the competition is so good. I think the important thing is, the best four dancers are in the semi-final… As I said in the dance-off, I would have put AJ and Kai through as well.
"It's an entertainment show but it's also a dancing competition and they were the best by a mile. We all said that on day one."
- Milica Cosic
Strictly Come Dancing's new rule
Strictly bosses have implemented a new rule with the Omicron variant now at large, and this will make the competition fairer.
BirminghamLive reported that Strictly bosses have made a big change to the rules around Covid as the Omicron variant spreads.
Up until now celebrities who have caught the virus have been allowed to have a week off and then return to the show.
Now the celebrities will be immediately eliminated from the competition, a TV insider claims.
- Milica Cosic
Strictly Come Dancing star's mum has phone cancelled
A Strictly Come Dancing contestant's mum voted for her son so much that her phone line was cancelled.
John Whaite shared an Instagram story telling fans how his mum had accumulated an “astronomical phone bill”.
John took to his Instagram, writing: "My mum had her mobile phone account blocked because there was suspected fraud on her account.
"Turns out she’d just been voting for me on Strictly Come Dancing hundreds of times, wracking up an astronomical phone bill.”
- Milica Cosic
Body language expert on Rose & Giovanni
Body language expert Darren Stanton has analysed Strictly's Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice.
Darren wrote: "Rose’s emotions seem to be deeply affected over the last week or so and I don’t believe she was fully on form this week, despite her success on the dance floor seeing her back to scoring strongly. She seems to have lost some confidence, with Giovanni making sure to reassure her by putting his arm around her and throwing comforting looks in her direction to encourage and motivate her.
"There appeared to be a noticeable distance between her and Gio that we haven’t seen before while receiving their feedback from the judges this week, possibly a result of her previous nerves."
He continued to say: "However, the pair not seeming as close clearly didn’t impact on their performance as Rose expertly bounced back. She and Giovanni were perfectly in sync during their seamless routine as they upped their game ahead of the semi-final, with the pair topping the leaderboard in joint first place on Saturday night.
"However, they don’t seem to have the same level or depth when it comes to connection, or the same sense of power as a company, that we have seen from them in previous weeks and while Rose is favourite to win, John and AJ are both showing a level of hunger that makes me think it could potentially be a two-horse race between them to lift the Glitterball trophy."
- Milica Cosic
Strictly winners revealed through secret body language
Body language expert Darren Stanton that there is one pair giving away their victory through their subconscious gestures.
Darren has written on the Mirror that the frontrunners for him are John Whaite and Johannes Radebe "due to the obvious rapport they share and the true – and genuine – emotion they have when engaging with one another".
Darren continued to say that: "They say that the eyes are the window to the soul – eyes can be a direct reflection of emotion and if we look at the level of engagement between John and Johannes, as dancers they hold each other's gaze and have complete synchronicity. Their connection is undeniable and their performances are seamless.
"These two go from strength to strength each week and it’s clear the level of connection between them continues to increase and get stronger.
"The non-verbal communication they displayed during this week’s dance, such as their intense eye contact and close interactions within each other’s proximity zones, suggests their bond has reached new heights – this was validated by both the audience and the judging panel’s response."
- Milica Cosic
Kevin Clifton on BBC’s dance change rule (Continued…)
Joanne, who was also a professional dancer on Strictly from 2014 to 2016, admitted: “I can’t remember either!
“That’s what I was going to ask you because, to me, it looked like what the lift was supposed to be was the one where the leg goes over the head, she swings down, and then he puts her down.
“And then the second video of the clip that I saw, she went into a split and went down again.
"But I don’t know, I might be wrong. I don’t know whether you’re allowed to change the routine or not,” Joanne explained.
Kevin replied: “I’m trying to think, but I don’t want to say the wrong thing.
“There’s something in me saying that there was a rule that we’re not allowed to change anything about the routine for the dance-off.
“But I could be wrong, there’s something in me for some reason that rings a bell.
“But I don’t know, and rules change all the time, so maybe it’s different now.”
- Milica Cosic
Kevin Clifton on BBC's dance change rule
Kevin Clifton has spoken out about the BBC's rule about not changing routines during the dance-off.
This comes after AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington sparked controversy when one of their tricky lifts seemed different on Sunday night's results show.
Dance expert Kevin addressed the backlash on his self-titled podcast, The Kevin Clifton Show, this week.
His co-host and sister Joanne Clifton brought up the incident, admitting: “I haven’t seen the dance-off, but it’s been talked about a lot on social media, did they change the lift or not, and is that against the rules to change it?”
Kevin, who quit his role as a Strictly pro in 2020 after seven years on the BBC show, said: “There was a ruling on this, wasn’t there? I can’t remember.”
- Milica Cosic
'Rose wants to win Strictly'
A source told New magazine: "Rose is very focused and wants to win, but she and Giovanni are getting closer and closer.
"You can see from the praise they're giving each other and the open compliments about how proud they are of each other."
- Milica Cosic
Rose's boyfriend feeling concern
Rose has been dating her partner Samuel Arnold for seven years.
The soap star has tried to keep her personal life out of the public eye, but has sometimes taken to social media to share sweet snaps of her and her beloved boyfriend.
And a source tells New magazine there are concerns over how Samuel is feeling about their connection.
A source told the magazine: "Pals worry it's hard for her boyfriend. He's delighted for her, of course – she's the star of the show.
"But there are concerns he is raising an eyebrow at their closeness. Rose and Giovanni have got a special kind of magic nobody could imagine. It's very rare."
- Milica Cosic
Strictly's Giovanni gets his flirt on
Elsewhere, the Italian hunk – who The Sun revealed is dating Made In Chelsea's Verity Bowditch – is favourite to win this series with deaf EastEnders actress Rose, 27.
Rose and Giovanni often post gushing messages to one another and viewers have commented on their incredible chemistry.
Last month following their silent dance, Giovanni posted a pic of the performance, writing: "A moment that will remain forever in my heart. You really are a role model."
At the end of their routine, the flirty Italian told Rose he "loved her" before they received a near-perfect 39 out of 40.
And last week, the duo melted hearts on This Morning as Giovanni said Rose was the "100 per cent the best partner" he'd had.
- Milica Cosic
Inside Strictly star Giovanni Pernice’s bachelor pad
STRICTLY Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice has given fans a glimpse inside his London bachelor pad on social media.
The Italian dancer is busy rehearsing for this weekend's semi-final with partner Rose Ayling-Ellis.
The 31-year-old's abode boasts bright decor with white walls, dark wooden floors and modern appliances throughout.
In his living room, the ballroom star has a large plasma TV, grey sofa and a sleek black TV unit.
Meanwhile, Giovanni's bedroom features a long hanging mirror, perfect to take outfit of the day selfies. The space also boasts a large white wardrobe.
Read the article in full here.
- Milica Cosic
Strictly Odds
The Semi-Finals of Strictly Come Dancing is taking place this weekend, the four remaining couples will be now be expected to perform two dance routines if they are to continue dancing on into the finals.
BetVictor’s Strictly Come Dancing – Winner Odds
- Rose Ayling-Ellis 1/5
- AJ Odudu 7/1
- John Whaite 8/1
- Rhys Stephenson 33/1
These odds are correct at the time of writing.
Dan Walker clarifies missing live tour
Dan Walker has explained why he will not be making an appearance on the upcoming Strictly Come Dancing live tour.
Posting on his Twitter account on Wednesday night, he said: “I can’t wait to take my family to watch the Strictly tour this year but I sadly won’t be part of it.”
“I have too many work commitments and I want to be at home after spending so much longer on the actual show than I ever expected.”
Dan Walker won’t be joining Xmas tour (Continued…)
A TV insider said: “Rumours will of course be rife about why he isn’t joining the tour, despite being one of the most outstanding competitors on this year’s show.
“Usually there are seven couples picked from the previous year’s contest to take part, and they usually include the dancers who performed the best in the competition – including the winner.
“His decision not to take part will have been extremely disappointing for the tour’s organisers who always hope the people who sign on will be the stars who’ve caught the public’s imagination.”
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