The voting public, however, were about to get their wrists slapped. Hasselbaink and his partner, Lauren Oakley, received their highest score of the series, 30, for their Prince-inspired American smooth (despite being dressed as the purple sweet from a tin of Quality Street), while Davies and Nikita Kuzman received a strong 33 for their elegant cha-cha-cha to Ariana Grande. The weakest performance of the night belonged to YouTuber George Clarke, who scored 27.
Craig Revel Horwood did not mince his words. “It’s a bit of a shock,” he said, acidly. “The audience has put these couples here, where they don’t belong.” His fellow judge Motsi Mabuse looked veritably furious: “I am speechless to see you two here. But the public have spoken.” While Daly tried to talk up Hasselbaink’s chances in the dance-off – “There’s still everything to play for, isn’t there?” she said, forlornly – the judges would always save Davies. Both couples danced well, but it was a foregone conclusion.
