Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas is a "smiling assassin" according to our body language expert Judi James.
The show’s head judge was booed by the audience and told the crowd to hold on and 'learn' as she offered criticism for Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe.
Now our body language expert has dissected Shirley's judging style and explained how she often comes accross like a "panto villain" on the show.
Judi tells us: "Shirley has several verbal put-downs, with her comments tonight actually earning boos from the crowd at one point, but her real barbs come from her body language rituals and tonight it was ‘dismissal by clapping’, an oddly incongruent and rather sinister-looking gesture that she used at the end of her comments to Ellie and Johannes.
"Describing Ellie’s routine as ‘flat-footed’ she suddenly ended with a burst of speedy clapping of the hands that seemed to dismiss the couple rather than congratulate them. Clapping is usually a sign of approval and encouragement but Shirley turned it into what looked like the opposite tonight, more as though she was clapping herself for her comprehensive criticism than clapping the couple.
"Her low marking of a competition-ending score of just six was also delivered oddly. Instead of saying it with sympathy or empathy she almost shrieked it out like a panto villain, which is usually Craig’s role in the judging line-up. The effect was worse than when she brings out those horrible little shoes to show the footstep blunders on the top of the desk.
"Johannes’s expression tonight could only be described as mortified. He and Ellie are such a good, popular couple and a refreshing, cheese-free zone in a sea of emotional venting and hyperbole, but their rehearsal scenes looked like a pit of despair, with Ellie saying ‘I’ll try my best’ and ‘I’m all over the place’ while the theme of Thelma and Louise sounded horribly prophetic, and their routine failed to ignite, with Ellie’s long legs and feet showing no signs of enthusiasm at all.
"Johannes is usually her motivational powerhouse but even he had run out of steam and kindly smiles and looked close to tears himself.
"Ellie hid her eyes as Craig gave his score and instead of comforting her and shielding her as he had in previous weeks, Johannes dropped his head and turned away from the screen instead. It was Ellie fighting off Craig rather than Johannes, who looked subdued and dejected while Ellie threw a very aggressive-looking thumbs-up gesture complete with mouth clamp at the judge.
"Ellie and Johannes could be saved by popularity alone and even some of the best dancers put in lackluster performances this week, but they will have to stay out of the dance-off because technique-wise they could be beaten by any of the other couples right now."
