“He Looked Absolutely Devastated”: Strictly Star Lawrence Robb Sparks Fresh Concern After Brutal Judges’ Verdict As Body Language Expert Spots Signs He Was “Close To Tears”
Lawrence Robb may have been trying to hold himself together, but his emotions appeared to tell a very different story. After receiving a disappointing score on Strictly Come Dancing last weekend, the Emmerdale actor reportedly looked so crushed by the judges’ criticism that a body language expert believes his confidence could be dangerously close to breaking point.
With another live performance approaching, fresh questions are now being raised about whether Lawrence has the resilience to survive the competition — or whether he could become the next celebrity sent home.
A DISAPPOINTING SCORE THAT HIT HARD
Lawrence, who is partnered with professional dancer Jowita Przystał, has become a popular figure in the latest series of the BBC One ballroom competition.
The Scottish actor is competing alongside celebrities including Lacey Turner, Cach Mercer and Jamie Winstone. But despite winning over viewers, his latest performance failed to impress the judging panel.
Last weekend, Lawrence and Jowita took to the dance floor with a jive set to a mash-up of Fatboy Slim’s The Rockafeller Skank and The Knack’s My Sharona.
The result? Just 19 points.
Craig Revel Horwood was particularly unimpressed, describing the routine as “flat-footed and out-of-time” and admitting it “wasn’t for me”.
Shirley Ballas offered a more encouraging assessment, although she made it clear that Lawrence could not afford to keep making mistakes.
“You can’t be making too many mistakes, but some good things in there, so be proud,” she told him.
Yet it was Lawrence’s reaction after receiving the feedback that has now attracted even more attention.
EXPERT WARNS HIS CONFIDENCE LOOKS “FATALLY VULNERABLE”
Body language expert Judi James has examined Lawrence’s behaviour and believes the actor is struggling to maintain the confidence needed to compete at this level.
Speaking on behalf of Paddy Power, Judi compared him with fellow contestant Will Best, whose seemingly unshakable confidence stands in stark contrast to Lawrence’s increasingly vulnerable demeanour.
She explained: “Lawrence has the promise of being a great dancer who could go nearly all the way in this competition but at the moment he’s looking like a possible candidate to be voted off next week unless his Emmerdale fan vote saves him.
“Will’s ego appears to have a ring of steel around it, but Lawrence’s looks fatally vulnerable and sensitive.”
According to Judi, the difference between the two celebrities became particularly noticeable in their reactions to mistakes and criticism.
“While Will struts like a winner despite making a very obvious mistake in his routine, Lawrence just looks mortified that he might have let everyone down.”
She also suggested that Lawrence’s jive lacked the confident, swaggering attitude that made the dance so effective in Will’s performance.
Although Lawrence approached the routine with enthusiasm and gave it his best effort, Judi believes his confidence visibly crumbled once the judges began delivering their verdicts.
“CLOSE TO TEARS”: THE MOMENT THAT LEFT EVERYONE CONCERNED
Perhaps most concerning were the emotional signals Judi noticed immediately after Lawrence finished dancing.
She believes his reaction was not simply disappointment over his score. Instead, his body language suggested he was deeply upset at the possibility of having let Jowita down.
“Lawrence’s signals suggest he is primarily aghast at letting his partner down. Some celebs pretend this, but his body language suggests it is true,” she explained.
Judi went on to describe how his facial expression gradually changed as the reality of the judges’ comments appeared to sink in.
His features initially “deflated and collapsed slowly at first”, before Lawrence buried his face in Jowita’s neck as though apologising.
Jowita responded by stroking him in what Judi described as a consoling, almost parental gesture.
But the expert’s observations did not stop there.
“Lawrence appeared to be close to tears then as his features contorted and he performed an eye stutter or fast blink rate that suggested strong emotions.
“He lifted his hand to try to cover his face twice in a cut-off and then there came a series of snake or lizard-like tongue-pokes that suggested deep despair.”
It was a particularly emotional moment, with Lawrence appearing to struggle to conceal just how much the criticism had affected him.
FELLOW CONTESTANTS STEPPED IN TO COMFORT HIM
Lawrence’s reaction apparently did not go unnoticed by the other celebrities.
Judi recalled how his fellow Strictly contestants, watching from the balcony, seemed to recognise his distress and responded with a group hug.
She suggested they had picked up on what looked like a sense of hopelessness and wanted to reassure him after the difficult experience.
There may also be another source of pressure weighing on the Emmerdale actor.
Judi suggested Lawrence could be conscious of the achievements of his male co-stars who previously competed on Strictly.
Lewis Cope was among last year’s standout dancers, while Kelvin Fletcher, who played Andy Sugden in Emmerdale, went on to win the competition in his series.
With such impressive performances associated with the soap’s history on the show, Lawrence may feel an added expectation to live up to those achievements.
CAN LAWRENCE TURN THINGS AROUND?
Despite the concerns, Judi has not dismissed Lawrence’s potential. In fact, she believes he has the ability to go a long way in the competition.
The challenge now is whether he can rebuild his confidence, learn from last week’s mistakes and deliver a performance that convinces both the judges and viewers.
His partnership with Jowita could prove crucial as the competition intensifies. And with the possibility of an early exit being raised, support from his Emmerdale fanbase may become increasingly important.
Lawrence and Jowita are set to return to the Strictly dance floor this weekend, with all eyes now on whether the actor can put the disappointment behind him.
Strictly Come Dancing airs every weekend on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.