Strictly Come Dancing fans were left furious on Saturday as Craig Revel Horwood gave his score for Fleur East’s widely praised samba.
The X Factor alum took to the BBC One ballroom dance floor with her professional dance partner Vito Coppola to perform the samba to Hot Hot Hot by Arrow.
The samba was widely praised as one of the best on the show, leaving Fleur and Vito flustered after the pair had previously landed in the dreaded dance-off twice.
However, when it came to receiving scores from the judging panel, Strictly viewers were left outraged that Craig only awarded the pair a nine, while Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas gave them a string of tens.
Taking to Twitter, viewers complained the judge had been a ‘misery’ in denying the radio presenter a straight set of tens.
One wrote: “I knew Craig would give Fleur a 9 it’s like getting blood out of a stone to get a 10 from Craig but three 10’s for her Samba is well deserved.”
A second added: “Why didn't Craig give a ten ? He said if this dance doesn't get you through to Blackpool nothing will, so surely should have a ten?”
Another wrote: “Craig why couldn’t you just give us a 40 with Fleur and Vito if you loved it just give it a ten !!! Foolish I’m sorry !!!!”
One even said: “Craig just can’t stop being a misery, sack him,” as another echoed: “I want to report a BBC crime. A 9 by Craig to Fleur. He needs to be sacked right now.”
Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman welcomed Strictly Come Dancing viewers as the BBC One show prepares to return to Blackpool next week for the first time in two years.
The much-loved themed episode has been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic but will return for the 2022 edition of the hit ballroom dancing show.
Instead of the studio’s ballroom floor, the celebrities travel to the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom to sashay onto the dance floor in front of judges.
We're over half way through Strictly Come Dancing's 2022 season with Blackpool and the competition couldn't be more intense.
Helen Skelton has been creeping up the Strictly leaderboard after her jive last weekend, while Ellie Taylor's rumba plummeted her to the bottom.
This week the Glitterball hopefuls took on a batch of new dances and tracks, ranging from the samba to the pasa doble.
Strictly Come Dancing returns on Sunday evening on BBC One.
