UP FOR THE FIGHT Under-fire Strictly star survives ANOTHER dance off – setting new show record
AN under-fire Strictly Come Dancing star has set a new show record after surviving ANOTHER dance off.
EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal was in the bottom two for the fifth week running tonight.
But she was saved by the judges to dance another day.
Her survival means Balvinder has made Strictly history as the star who has won the most about of dance-offs.
Three former celebrities who survived four dance-offs and went onto reach the final included Jamie Laing, Fleur East, and Molly Rainford.
Until this week, singer Jamelia held the record for winning the most amount of dance-offs in Strictly history, but was eliminated on her fifth dance-off time in the bottom two.
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One fan said: “Did Balvinder and Julian just became the first pair to win five dance offs ever??? Oh the stars of the season.”
Another said: “Balvinder Sopal. Strictly Assassin. Queen of the Dance Off. Simply unstoppable and now in the Strictly record books.”
Someone else wrote: “Balvinder Sopal has broken a Strictly record. She becomes the first celebrity in 21 years to survive 5 dance offs. The luckiest Strictly Contestant ever but she fully deserves her Quarter Final place. Very happy for her.“
Balvinder had predicted on Saturday night she would be dancing again as she made a joke about always being in the bottom two.
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After the judges said her dance could have been better, she laughed: “I will come back and do it again in the dance off,”
Balvinder and her dance partner Julian Caillon went up against actress Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe.
Before dancing, Balvinder said: “The fates are sealed, whatever happens, happens.”
Both couples performed their routines again; Alex and Johannes dancing their Cha Cha to Anita Ward’s Ring My Bell, before Balvinder and Julian performed their Jive to Right Back Where We Started From by Maxine Nightingale.
After both couples had danced a second time in the dance off, the judges delivered their verdicts, with Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse choosing to save Balvinder and Anton Du Beke deciding to save Alex.
Balvinder got emotional as she admitted “messing up” her performance on Saturday night.
But she is now through to next weekend’s Musicals Week quarter-final, which will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 6.50pm on Saturday and 7:45pm on Sunday.
Musicals Week will also see couples take part in another Strictly first: a brand new high-stakes dance challenge.
Further details will be revealed in the next few days.
