Balvinder Sopal, the EastEnders actress, has faced a challenging run on Strictly Come Dancing, finding herself in the dance-off for the fourth time out of seven this series. Alongside her professional partner Julian Caillon, Balvinder was tied at the bottom of the leaderboard with Vicky Pattison and her partner Kai Widdrington, both scoring just 27 points from the judges.
Despite predictions from fans and bookmakers that Balvinder would be the one eliminated on Sunday night, it was Vicky who was sent home—ironically on her 38th birthday. Before the tense dance-off, Balvinder admitted with visible heartbreak, “I don’t want to do it. I really don’t want to do it,” highlighting the mental strain the competition has placed on her. Vicky, who counts Balvinder as one of her closest friends on the show, expressed her admiration, saying, “I thought Bal’s dance was absolutely beautiful. And she’s one of my absolute best friends in this competition, so this is a horrible place to be.”
In the dance-off, Balvinder performed an elegant American Smooth to Mary Wells' classic “My Guy,” winning unanimous approval from the judges and securing her spot in the upcoming Blackpool special. However, viewers took to social media expressing concern for her well-being. Comments shared sentiments such as, “I fear Strictly will break Bal,” and “Being in the dance-off almost every week is clearly affecting her confidence, but the judges see something special in her.”
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Many fans empathized with Balvinder’s struggle, recalling moments when she appeared emotionally overwhelmed, including a heartfelt moment after advancing to Halloween week where she admitted to feeling surprised and doubtful about her progress. The ongoing pressure has taken a toll on her mental health, as Balvinder revealed in an interview with the Mail on Sunday: “I am really surprised at how mentally taxing it has been… It’s not just the dancing, it’s balancing work, family life, and dealing with online opinions.”
The record for the most dance-offs survived is held by Tristan MacManus and Jamelia, who lasted through five eliminations in Series 13. Balvinder now joins that conversation as she prepares to dance at the prestigious Tower Ballroom in Blackpool next weekend. The show will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 6.35pm on Saturday and 7.15pm on Sunday.