Strictly Come Dancing Fans Outraged by Judge's Controversial Score
Strictly Come Dancing viewers have erupted in defence of actress Balvinder Sopal after what many are calling outrageous treatment from judge Craig Revel Horwood during Saturday night's show. The EastEnders star delivered a deeply emotional Couple's Choice routine with her professional partner Julian Caillon that left audiences across the country in tears.
An Emotional Tribute to a Lost Mother
The 46-year-old actress dedicated her Bollywood and Bhangra fusion dance to her late mother, Nirmal Sopal, who passed away in February last year. In a heartfelt video package before her performance, Balvinder described her mother as her biggest cheerleader and explained how losing her felt like losing a part of herself.
She shared through tears: Last year was a really terrible year for us. Losing my mum felt, and still does feel, like I've lost a part of me. The soap star revealed that Strictly Come Dancing represented her yes year after initially refusing opportunities following her mother's death.
Judges Divided Over Cultural Celebration
While judges Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke awarded the routine nines, Craig Revel Horwood broke ranks with a controversial score of seven. His feedback sparked immediate backlash from both the studio audience and viewers at home.
Craig commented: I am totally obsessed with this style of dance. I absolutely love it and totally respect it. It lacked, for me, definition; it really did. It needed to be a lot cleaner and a lot sharper. As boos filled the studio, he added some positive remarks about her excellent shaping and superb timing.
In stark contrast, Motsi Mabuse gave the performance a standing ovation and told Balvinder: I know that your mum is watching, and she's so proud of you. Shirley Ballas declared it her best dance so far, while Anton Du Beke praised her newfound commitment and security in movement.
Social Media Erupts in Support
Viewers quickly took to social media platform X to express their fury at Craig's scoring. User @lucymaygoodwin raged: Craig scoring Balvinder a 7 is actually criminal. Another user, @laura_alixo, questioned his qualifications to judge the cultural performance: How can Craig comment badly on a style of dance HE HASNT EVEN DANCED BEFORE?
The routine resonated particularly strongly with British South Asian viewers. @putasinghonit tweeted: We've had South Asian dance on #strictly before but it's always been heavily Bollywood influenced. So proud of Bal to take the risk and be the first to do authentic Punjabi moves on the Strictly dancefloor!
Another viewer, @SabrinaSpectre, celebrated the cultural representation: I am so so so proud of Balvinder. What an incredible way to showcase Punjabi and South Asian culture so loud and proud.
A Mother's Legacy of Love
Balvinder had previously paid tribute to her mother on Instagram following her passing, describing Nirmal as a fierce supporter of all her children and grandchildren. She wrote: She was our rock, friend, confidant, guiding light. She was my No. 1 fan travelling up & down the country, with dad watching shows.
The actress concluded her emotional tribute with powerful words that echoed through her Strictly performance: LOVE is Mum's legacy. This sentiment clearly informed her joyful, celebratory dance that divided the judges but united viewers in admiration and support.
The controversy comes at a crucial time in the competition, as Balvinder has already faced the dance-off several times. Viewers are now urging the public to vote for Balvinder and Julian to ensure they continue their Strictly journey.
