Strictly fans call for a major show shake-up amid new fix row
STRICTLY Come Dancing fans have demanded a major show change amid a fresh “fix” row.
Viewers of the hit BBC weekend programme have called out one regular format they want to see given the boot when the series returns in 2024.
It comes ahead of Strictly Come Dancing’s grand final this weekend.
Actor and model Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, actress Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola and West End star Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin will all battle it out for the iconic Glitter Ball trophy.
It came after Annabel Croft left last Sunday amid a fix storm – with fans saying the ex tennis ace was “criminally undermarked.”
She was in the bottom two with Bobby – and fans now think the semi final dance off should be scrapped completely.
They are calling for the result to be determined purely by the public vote – in an attempt to quash any bias.
One fan took to X to rant: “I don’t think there should be a dance off in the semi finals, it should be lowest public vote goes out then Shirley can’t save the one she’s been a*** licking all series. Total fix.”
Another added: “It’s a fix. Did it last week. Put the strong contestant in the dance off so there’s only one choice when it comes to saving them. The other couple are out.”
The calls for change come after head judge Shirley Ballas, 63, sparked a fresh sexism row during the show’s penultimate episode.
Many fans have since claimed that Annabel had been unfairly marked each week.
One wrote: “Annabel with your departure the heart and soul of this show has just left the building. Criminally undermarked for your V.waltz which meant game over, no matter how many of us tried to save you! You’re a class act. Bless you.”
A second posted: “Heartbreaking for Annabel. She was rather undermarked. She’s grown from the very first week. She deserved to get to the final but alas. But, also very happy for Bobby who has also fought hard after being undermarked in the past. Great finalists! Ellie to win.”
It comes after the show was hit with a new sexism row.
In the early stages of the BBC1 show, Shirley gave the lowest scores out of all four judges to former newsreader Angela Rippon, 79, former Coronation Street star Ellie Leach, 22, and media personality Zara McDermott, 26.
And in Sunday’s dance off, she plumped to save Bobby over Annabel.
Judges Motsi Mabuse, 42, and Anton Du Beke, 57, also voted to save Bobby, while hard-to-please Craig Revel Horwood, 58, had backed Annabel and Johannes.
Fas were even convinced “Annabel is gone” when the semi final dance routines were revealed.
