All through the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing, angry viewers have accused BBC bosses of ‘fixing’ the show after a series of high profile dance-offs resulted in the judges ‘saving’ a certain celebrity.
And now in the wake of a controversial semi-final which saw the leaderboard scores carried over from last week, outspoken judge Craig Revel Horwood has now been forced to clarify exactly how the voting works for the semi and next week’s final.
Normally, each week the public vote for their favourite in the competition and the star they want to see progress through to next week.
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Then the two couples who collect the fewest votes from the public fall into the dance-off.
But what many viewers don’t know is that the public vote is weighted along with the judges’ scores and in fact, the public vote only counts for half – with the judges’ scores making up the other half.
That’s why it gives such a huge advantage to be top of the leaderboard, and why it’s dangerous even to be lurking around the middle of the pack, because the public vote only counts for 50% of a couple’s overall score.
(Image: BBC)
On the flipside, a couple might be slightly less popular with the public but a series of high scoring dances will usually keep them out of the dance-off due to the judges’ scores counting for half their votes.
Now judge Craig Revel Horwood has been forced to address claims of a ‘fix’ after several popular dancers were eliminated but the likes of Angela Rippon made it through to Blackpool.
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Craig clarified that the public vote does still count for something.
He said on Twitter after the live show finished: “Can I just remind everyone on this platform that you can vote to put your favourites into the final.
“We as judges have 50% of the vote. You have the remaining 50%. If you don’t vote then you have no voice.”
A lot of viewers hit out at Craig, though and insisted that the judges’ scores should NOT count for the vote to put the semi-finalists through to the final.
@JulieHolroyd10 said; “Very, very disappointed with the judges voting in this series. Inconsistent, scores not matching the comments, blatant favouritism, it’s really been a shame for those that are true amateurs and don’t appear on the West End several times a week.”
@manningh1962 said: “Can we, the people on this platform, remind you that your fellow judges have repeatedly overmarked L &N for the entire series. Their remarks have not materialised in their scores. This doesnt apply to you , your comments are reflected. L & N have 3 of the judges’ pets from day 1”
@susanbunch said: “Voted but still think it’s unfair in the semi final that the judges score counts for 50% of the vote. It should be for guidance only at this stage and not down to you four ultimately who gets the third spot in the final.”
@wolfieBA said: “Except we don’t because final judgement is a dance off with judges and if 3 of you get it wrong Shirley has casting vote – so it’s wrong to say public can determine final – you have already done that as you’ll vote Annabelle out in a dance off.”
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