Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood stuck to his guns and doubled down on his comment to disqualify Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal’s Rumba on Saturday night.
The couple performed the dance to Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis, and left the reality star extra nervous after finding out that head judge Shirley Ballas was nicknamed “The Queen of Rumba”.
However, after feeling they had done a good job, they were quickly shot down when Ballas and Horwood picked up on some “illegal” lifts, causing disruption amongst the judged panel.
Giving them their first critiques, Ballas noted: “I loved all the lifts that probably shouldn’t have been, you are supposed to keep your feet on the floor but I am going to let them slide.”
Whilst the “Queen of Rumba” was willing to let the lifts go, hard-faced Horwood was not and called for their performance to be disqualified.
He slammed: “As for the lifts, that is totally illegal, there were two lifts. One foot should remain on the floor at all times.
Pete and Jowita added two ‘illegal’ lifts to their Rumba routine
BBC
“It is up to the professional if they want to lose marks for that, and of course, you will be marked down for that.
“I think even a disqualification darling… But I am not head judge so there you are. I have an issue with that because I think you should follow the rules.”
Despite his distaste for the lifts, he did praise Wicks’ progression throughout the competition, with the public deciding to keep the couple in for another week.
During the Pride of Britain awards last night, Horwood was asked if he stood by his comments from Saturday night and told The Sun: “Of course.
Craig doubled down on his comment to disqualify Pete and Jowita’s dance
BBC
“That will never happen though, will it? I don’t think we’ve ever really disqualified anyone, but at least we can mark them down if they do do something illegal, so that’ssort of my point.”
After the comments were made on Saturday night, viewers of the show were left outraged with Ballas and noted she wouldn’t have “let it slide” if one of the female professionals had done it.
One noted: “I love Pete but Shirley choosing to ignore the lifts is hilarious considering if that was a female celeb she would have eaten them alive #strictly.”
Another added: “The inconsistency from judges ruins it. They’re harsher on others than some. And let things slide for others #Strictly.”
A third expressed: “Shirley ‘letting the lifts slide’ that shouldn’t have been there for Pete and Jowita but any other couple she would’ve crucified them???#StrictlyComeDancing.”
“Excuse me Shirely, why are we excusing lifts? there shouldn’t be any lifts in a rumba. you wouldn’t excuse it if it was anyone else,” someone else asked before a fifth said: “I’m gonna let it slide’ Shirley this is blatantly obvious stop it now #strictly.” (sic)
The judges butted heads after Shirley Ballas “let slide” the lifts
BBC
Speaking to Claudia Winkleman about his performance, Wicks noted: “I am growing to love it but I don’t have to do it again so we will stick with hate.
“I absolutely love that song – well I did at the start of the week – but by tonight I don’t think I will ever forget being wet and damp in front of millions of people.”
