Strictly’s Nadiya Bychkova defends judges as Kai and Angela booted off show
Strictly: Nigel thanks Claudia for reminding him of his performance
Strictly Come Dancing professional Nadiya Bychkova jumped to the defence of the four judges, Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse, as she addressed the backlash over some of their scores this year.
The Strictly judges have faced criticism from some fans claiming that they have under or overmarked certain performances. Most recently, Nigel Harman admitted he was “disappointed” after mistakes in his Quickstep meant he was awarded a score of 31 in Blackpool, while some fans thought he should have been marked much higher.
Speaking at the Best Heroes Awards last month, Nadiya told Express.co.uk: “I think we all have our own opinions which Is what dancing is all about.
“Because I had such a long competitive career, I’m used to it. Some people like one thing and some people like another thing. But also, what viewers see on the TV screen is different to what is in the studio sometimes.
“We get different cuts so as a viewer from home, you need to leave that gap to kind of go, ‘Oh, I might see something, but the judges were there witnessing it live’.
READ MORE: BBC Strictly’s Anton du Beke hits back at Angela Rippon backlash
“It’s like with many sports, there are some things you can’t see. But the judges are there in their positions and they are all amazing. They are the judges for a reason.”
The 34-year-old Ukrainian dancer also said that she believes the current judges are the best the show has ever had, particularly Anton Du Beke.
She continued: “It is [the best line-up of judges], I’m loving Anton, he’s so comfortable there and he has been in our place so he understands us, in the nicest possible way, more than anyone.”
It comes as Nadiya’s boyfriend Kai Widdrington, 28, and his celebrity partner Angela Rippon, 79, became the latest stars to leave the competition after facing the dance-off with Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell.
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On Thursday, Anton, 57, addressed claims that Angela and Kai’s success on the BBC dance show was “fixed”.
After winning two dance-offs, some viewers suggested that the broadcaster had been kept in the competition so she could dance in Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom.
Speaking to Times Radio, Anton hit back: “No, are you mad? No. If she was terrible in week one she’d have been first to go, probably. It doesn’t really work that way…
“We had the opportunity as judges to eliminate. And we chose not to because she was worthy of a place in the dance-off to stay in the competition.”
Bobby Brazier, Nigel Harman, Ellie Leach, Layton Williams, Angela Scanlon and Annabelle Croft will return to the ballroom on Saturday in the hopes of securing a place in next week’s Musicals Week.
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
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