The latest Strictly Come Dancing elimination has sparked a fresh wave of frustration among viewers, with an early results leak revealing which celebrity is reportedly heading home before Sunday’s results show has even aired. But it is not just the departure that has left fans unhappy. Questions are mounting over the judges’ scoring, with some viewers accusing the panel of treating certain couples far more harshly than others.
The Latest Strictly Elimination Result Has Leaked
Although Strictly Come Dancing airs live on Saturday nights, its results show is pre-recorded on the same evening and broadcast on Sunday.
That means members of the studio audience already know which couples have landed in the dance-off and who has ultimately been eliminated. They are expected to keep the outcome confidential, but leaks have become a familiar problem throughout the competition.
This week was no different.
The identity of the celebrity reportedly leaving the competition has now emerged online, prompting fans to search social media for confirmation before the BBC broadcasts the results.
However, the Mirror has chosen not to reveal the name of the eliminated celebrity, their professional dance partner or the contestant who is said to have survived the dance-off. The aim is to avoid spoiling the result for viewers who would rather wait until Sunday evening to watch it unfold.
Fans Question Whether the Elimination Was Fair
Once the leaked result began circulating, viewers wasted little time sharing their disappointment.
Some appeared unsurprised by the outcome, while others questioned whether the competition had produced a fair result.
One fan sarcastically remarked: “Oh what a surprise.”
Another was far more direct: “Sorry, how is this fair?”
A third admitted: “Sadly I saw this result coming.”
Someone else added: “I liked them both so this is a shame. Not surprised.”
The reactions suggest that the latest departure has divided the audience, with frustration extending beyond the identity of the celebrity reportedly going home.
Judges Under Fire Over Huge Scoring Differences
The controversy comes after Saturday’s live show, where viewers noticed several striking differences between the judges’ scores.
Fans pointed out that there had been five instances in which the judges’ marks differed by three or four points for the same performance.
One viewer criticised the panel, writing:
“Tonight we had 5 incidences of the judges’ scores having a 3 or 4 mark range which is absolutely ridiculous. Preferences make a 1-2 mark range reasonable but it’s very questionable when the same dance gets a 4 and an 8 or a 6 (average) and a 9 (just less than perfect) #Strictly”
Another viewer was even more scathing about the standard of judging:
“#Strictly tonight’s show is just a joke, a total farce. Most of the dancing is rubbish, the scoring is total nonsense and makes a mockery of the word judge.”
For some fans, the biggest concern was the treatment of Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby, who were criticised as having received particularly harsh marks.
One frustrated supporter questioned why their performance had been awarded such low scores:
“This did NOT deserve a 4 or 6! What is their problem??? Every week they are extremely harsh with this couple, nothing they seem to do is good enough.”
The same viewer also expressed concern about the effect of the criticism on the contestant:
“I love them! Hopefully this doesn’t knock his confidence too much, he looked so upset and disappointed.”
The debate has put the judges’ decisions firmly under the spotlight, with viewers questioning whether the scoring is being applied consistently across the remaining couples.
Will Best Hopes to Make Progress After Big Brother Ends
Meanwhile, Will Best is hoping that a major change to his schedule will help him push further in the competition.
The television presenter, who is partnered with professional dancer Dianne Buswell, had previously been juggling Strictly rehearsals with his commitments to Big Brother.
With Big Brother now finished, Will expects to have more time to concentrate on dancing and, importantly, get some much-needed rest before the live shows.
Speaking about the difference the extra time could make, he said: “I think I can go for it now.”
He explained that his previous schedule had been particularly demanding.
“Before, the way I was doing it was we’d come and do our camera runs [dress rehearsals] on a Friday really early and then I’d have to get on a motorbike to get across London quick enough to get to Big Brother to start rehearsals, and then obviously finish really late.”
The combination of long rehearsals, late finishes and the adrenaline of performing had left him feeling tired by Saturday.
“So I guess I was maybe a little bit tired on a Saturday because I’d been up really late and all the adrenaline. So I maybe now I will have a bit more sleep going into Saturday. Which could be nice.”
With his Big Brother commitments behind him, Will now has an opportunity to give Strictly his full attention.
But as the latest elimination leak and judging controversy demonstrate, the pressure is only increasing for the remaining celebrities. And with viewers already questioning the fairness of the scores, every mark could become another talking point.