Strictly Come Dancing has been plunged into fresh controversy after the weekend's elimination result was leaked online ahead of Sunday's results show, marking yet another breach in the competition's secrecy.
The Spoiler That Split the Fanbase
For weeks, a notorious mole has been sharing exit results prematurely, and this weekend followed the same frustrating pattern. While The Daily Mail has chosen not to reveal which couple was eliminated, confirmation that a fan favourite has departed has created clear divisions among viewers.
Social media platforms erupted with mixed reactions, with some fans claiming the outcome was 'obvious' while others demanded a second vote, highlighting the growing frustration with the repeated spoiler leaks that threaten to undermine the show's suspense.
Instant Dance Chaos and Cheating Allegations
The drama extended beyond the spoiler leak to Saturday night's main show, which featured the first-ever Instant Dance challenge. Contestants faced the daunting task of improvising routines after being assigned dance styles on the spot, with only ten seconds to confer once on the dance floor before music started.
However, viewers quickly spotted what they believed was rule-breaking behaviour from professional dancer Katya Jones and her celebrity partner Lewis Cope. While couples were supposed to be separated on the stairs to prevent conferring, eagle-eyed fans noticed Katya appearing to signal moves to Lewis before their Jive performance.
Social media users documented the moment Katya lifted her leg to the side - the very move that concluded their dance. One viewer penned: 'No conferring till the ten seconds yet Katya does this to indicate to Lewis to jump through her leg like on Blackpool night I'm sorry but that is cheating in the instant dance plain and simple.'
Viewers Divided Over Rule Interpretation
Not all fans agreed with the cheating accusations. Supporters of the couple argued that signalling wasn't explicitly forbidden and pointed out that all couples reused elements from previous dances during the challenge.
One defender wrote: 'LEWIS AND KATYA DID NOT CHEAT IN THE INSTANT DANCE CHALLENGE!! It was never said that the couples couldn't signal to each other on the stairs!! You're all just bitter that he's the best dancer.'
The BBC has been contacted for comment regarding both the spoiler leak and the cheating allegations, though no official statement has been released at time of writing.
Instant Dance Delivers Pure Entertainment
Despite the controversy, the Instant Dance challenge provided what many described as 'pure chaos' and 'carnage' in the best possible way. The studio descended into mayhem as judges swapped seats and host Claudia Winkleman sported a fruit hat, leaving viewers begging for the segment to become a weekly feature.
Following the challenge, Lewis and Katya topped the leaderboard with six points, followed by Balvinder Sopal with five, Amber Davies with four, Alex Kingston with three, George Clarke with two, and Karen Carney with one point.
The dual controversies of repeated spoiler leaks and cheating allegations have cast a shadow over what should have been a celebratory new feature for the long-running dance competition, leaving producers with significant issues to address as the competition continues.
