Tale Of The Unexpected

Dec 12, 2025 by Rob

There’s never been more fallout to a Strictly elimination than Saturday’s. With fans of the show left irate at the injustice of it all, it begs the question, why on earth did TPTB think it a good idea to ditch Lewis and Katya, and deprive the audience of seeing arguably the greatest routine ever performed in the show’s history reprised in the final?

That alone will undoubtedly harm viewing figures, and deservedly so. Seeing Katya so devastated on Monday’s ITT was heart-breaking, hammering home the cruelty of Lewis’s elimination.

We have witnessed an increasingly manipulated, X Factor-level of dark arts applied to Strictly, much to the show’s detriment, and Saturday evening would make a textbook case study. It rekindled memories of Jedward being saved over Lucie Jones in their infamous X Factor sing-off, in the sense of stretching credulity to the point of the show jumping the shark.

With Amber struggling series-long to charm the audience, we can infer she took one point on the public vote. But that Broadway level, 40-scoring Charleston meant she was the unbeatable chess piece the producers had to play with in terms of the dance-off, and in preparation for their coup de grâce on Lewis.

Karen and George have been the top two on the public vote in recent weeks, and they were handled with enough care to ensure their safe passage to the semi-final. The three-way tie on 35pts, cunningly set up, meant it would be a straight pv shoot-out between Lewis and Balvinder to decide who would be the lamb to the slaughter vs Amber.

Week 11 (Musicals Week) judges’ leaderboard:

Amber & Nikita – Charleston – (4) – 10, 10, 10, 10 = 40 – bottom 2
Lewis & Katya – Salsa – (5) – 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35 – eliminated
George & Alexis – Argentine Tango – (1) – 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35
Balvinder & Julian – Viennese Waltz – (3) – 8, 9, 9, 9 = 35
Karen & Carlos – Samba – (2) – 8, 8, 9, 9 = 34

Cue Balvinder performing a highly emotive, stripped back VW, shorn of any backing dancers, and huge eulogising to follow from the judges acting as the all-important pv boost for Balvinder.

Lewis had opened the show three times previously, hinting at his persona non grata status, and it would turn out to be the most deflating, vote dampening pimp slot imaginable. The jarring choice of music for his salsa felt intentionally anxiety-producing, and dearly departed Daniel Gould would have had a field day with the predominantly red and black canvas that was selected by way of lighting.

It was all set up to fall flat (no pyro), the judges overwhelmingly negative appraisal the final nail in the coffin despite it being a typically choreo-laden, intricate routine performed by Lewis and Katya. While the judges expressed their deep shock at a Lewis vs Amber dance-off, they were complicit and it all looked entirely pre-meditated.

Out of the two ringers in this series, you might have thought they would favour taking Lewis to the final for everything him and Katya would bring, as well as the fact he has likely been polling above Amber series-long. Not to be.

Given the outrage that has followed Lewis’s exit from the show, it’s hard to imagine them targeting Amber for a semi-final takedown, and in that Couple’s Choice alone, she appears to have the chance of landing a 39 or 40, which would make her look close to invincible in a dance-off again. Her tango has similar potential.

Who among the other three is most likely to find themselves in the crosshairs is quite the imponderable given the unexpected nature of this series. George’s Charleston should be fun and entertaining but that may not equate to 10s. Samba looks the harder routine to score highly with for him on the night but he seems to have mastered the hip action at least, looking at his training clips.

There have been plentiful signs Karen is Plan A this year but the waltz is going to expose her frame and posture issues. While the judges did an exemplary job of talking up and scoring up last Saturday’s samba, with plenty of smoke and mirrors applied by the costume department (flared trousers) and the production team (including pyro), salsa is far from ideal for her to earn a high score.

And it was notable flared trousers have been selected again in Vicky Gill’s Thursday evening segment on ITT to help conceal any footwork issues and aid the aesthetics.

Balvinder has the exact same two dances but waltz for her looks advantageous arriving on the back of her excellent VW. And her and Julian were also talking confidently on ITT this week regarding their salsa and some of its spectacular lifts.

Given Balvinder could have been lumbered with CCC and tango instead, there is a hint of producer support here, and having gone to so much trouble to navigate her to the semi-final it would be strange if TPTB decide to trip her up at the last hurdle.

But this has been a bizarre series so everything’s still on the table. George will need to be placed last on the judges’ leaderboard if they are seeking an all-female final. A poor week for Karen, and another last place for her, would make her look in serious jeopardy of missing out on the final.

And might the biggest story of all still be in the making – Balvinder getting to the final after five dance-off saves, possibly six? It would certainly be heart-warming and could end up the greatest underdog story ever told in Strictly history. It’s anybody’s guess, really, during a series deserving of the subtitle: expect the unexpected.

Please do let us know who got your vote(s) when the week 12 (semi-final) exit poll opens towards the end of tomorrow night’s show.

Strictly 2025 Exit Poll – Semi-Final

Week 12 (semi-final) dances & songs:

Amber and Nikita – Couple’s Choice to Fly Me To The Moon by Raye / Tango to Higher by Michael Buble

Balvinder and Julian – Salsa to Rhythm is Gonna Get You and Get On Your Feet by Gloria Estefan / Waltz to At This Moment by Michael Buble

George and Nikita – Charleston to We No Speak Americano by Yolanda B Cool / Samba to Volare by Gipsy Kings

Karen and Carlos – Salsa to Turn The Beat Around by Vicki Sue Robinson / Waltz to One Moment In Time by Whitney Houston