Strictly Come Dancing fans were left outraged following what has been called the “most shocking dance off in the show’s history” during Sunday’s live results. Viewers were stunned to see two of the competition’s strongest performers, Amber Davies and Lewis Cope, unexpectedly placed in the bottom two.
Amber Davies, known for her stint on Love Island and the West End, had recently earned a perfect 40 for her Charleston with partner Nikita Kuzmin, a rare feat celebrated by fans and judges alike. Lewis Cope and Katya Jones also faced the bottom two despite delivering one of the most memorable Halloween performances ever, which garnered the first perfect 40 of this season.
Many fans attribute this surprising outcome to the BBC’s revamped voting system, which now restricts votes to online platforms and QR codes instead of traditional phone-in methods. This change appears to have alienated a significant portion of the show’s older fanbase.
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One viewer expressed frustration on social media: “@BBC #StrictlyComeDancing I think it’s really poor the #Strictly voting has changed. My 85-year-old aunt watches it & always used to call & vote but now it’s just the web or a QR code. Neither of which she has access to. It’s discriminatory."
Others echoed these sentiments, highlighting the difficulty some demographics face with the new system. “Lewis and Amber being in the bottom two is a direct result of the BBC deciding to only use online voting. This show is made for middle-aged, older women who haven’t a clue how to use QR codes. #StrictlyComeDancing,” one fan wrote.
Calls for the return of phone and text voting flooded social media, with one user pleading: “WE NEED THE PHONE & TEXT VOTE BACK #strictly #StrictlyComeDancing this voting is abysmal.”
Judges were visibly stunned by the results as well. Anton Du Beke remarked that whichever contestant left next would be “the best dancer to not make the semi-finals.” Head judge Shirley Ballas appeared emotional as she addressed both couples: “I’m absolutely speechless… I’m going to speak for everyone when I say we’re shocked to see both of you here.”
The controversy over the voting procedure has sparked widespread debate about accessibility and fairness, leaving fans eager to see if the BBC will revisit these changes in future episodes.