The dance even included a nod to Davies’s time starring in The Great Gatsby musical in London. It was, she said, a deliberate “Easter egg”, but it only increased the volume on the criticism she faced. Her odds of winning the final seem to be almost non-existent, despite her abundant talent.
As for Sopal, she made history as the only Strictly celebrity to have ever competed in six dance-offs. While some were suggesting she should have left the show a few weeks ago, Sopal earned her place in Strictly lore, improving each week and becoming a well-loved contestant in the process. Davies called her the “dance-off assassin”, while her professional partner, Julian Caillon, stated proudly that “it took six dance-offs and a perfect score to take this lady out”. While Sopal performed well in the dance-off, the result was never in doubt, despite the show’s efforts to prove otherwise. Even Du Beke’s “big disagreement” with Craig Revel Horwood about Davies’s tango was a confection – the two judges gave the routine the same score.
