Chris and Dianne were joined by professional dancers for their routine(Image: BBC)

BBC Strictly Come Dancing star halts show for 'special announcement'

by · NottinghamshireLive

The live showing of Strictly Come Dancing from the illustrious Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Saturday, November 16, was momentarily paused by host Tess Daly for a thrilling announcement. The broadcast began with a tribute to the Pet Shop Boys, with the show’s dance professionals accompanying the pop pair's live performance, much to the delight of those watching.

Chris McCausland, the comedian, along with his partner Dianne Buswell were the first to perform on Blackpool’s esteemed dance floor that night, impressing with their American Smooth to Van Halen's 'Jump' alongside six professional dancers. Following the performance, Tess came forth with a fun piece of trivia, telling the couple: "I know, you're happy with that Chris, rightly so. So well done. And I have a lovely little fact for you - you are our 100th Strictly couple to perform here in the Tower Ballroom."

This news was met with jubilation from both Chris and the enthused audience just as the judges prepared to share their judgments. Shirley Ballas, the head judge, praised the performance highly saying: "Oh my gosh in this iconic ballroom Chris, only the best feet belong on this floor and your feet were the best feet I've seen in a long time."

Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp

Anton du Beke called it "exquisite" while Craig Revel Horwood described it as "brilliant". The duo received a commendable score of 37 out of 40, including perfect tens from Shirley and Anton, as reported by the Mirror, reports the Express.

The Blackpool episode came a week after Shayne Ward and his partner Nancy Xu were eliminated in the dance-off. The singer-actor duo found themselves in the bottom two alongside Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, but it was the Welshman who was ultimately saved.

However, the judges' decisions were split, leaving head judge Shirley Ballas to cast the deciding vote - a decision that didn't go down well with fans. She chose to save Wynne, leading to Shayne and Nancy's exit.

Wynne is now tipped by bookmakers as the next likely contestant to leave the ballroom this weekend.