Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks sparks calls for 'disqualification' over 'illegal' move

Pete seemed disappointed with the remark (Image: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks has faced demands to be "disqualified" after performing an "illegal" move.

In the latest episode, Pete and his dance partner Jowita performed a Rumba to Don't Look Back In Anger, which ignited a storm of criticism from judge Craig Revel Horwood. He condemned the routine as "illegal", pointing out: "And as for the lifts, that is totally illegal."

Craig didn't hold back during his critique, stating: "There were two lifts. One foot should remain on the floor at all times. Of course, a professional would be marked down for that. I think even a disqualification darling, because I think you should follow the rules."

Fellow judge Motsi Mabuse was quick to intervene, assuring that they would never actually disqualify them. Craig softened later, acknowledging Pete's dedication: "I do like seeing how committed you are to this. I can see very clearly you have been studying and studying and studying."

The BBC show dazzled viewers once more tonight, with the celebrity contestants and their professional partners hitting the dance floor again, all vying for a spot in the following week's show. Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe brought their Couple's Choice to life, Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez glided through a Viennese Waltz, Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin stepped up for a Quickstep, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola sizzled with a Samba, and Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec took on the Tango.

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Craig called for Pete to be disqualified (Image: BBC)

Elsewhere on the dance floor, Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell will glide through a Waltz, while Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas are set to impress with a Pasodoble. JB Gill and Amy Dowden aim to energise the crowd with a Jive as Paul Merson and Karen Hauer sizzle in a Samba.

Pete Wicks and Jowita Przysta bring romance with a Rumba and Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu tackle an American Smooth to a Sam Smith melody. Wynne Evans and Katya Jones look to bounce back with a Quickstep following their own whirl of controversy.

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Pete and Jowita have received mixed reviews for their dances so far (Image: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)

The week was marred by controversy for the pair as Wynne and Katya faced backlash over an "inside joke" that turned sour, igniting a storm on social media after footage showing what some fans perceived as Katya's discomfort went viral.

The professional dancer dismissed any suggestions of discomfort, clarifying it was part of a humorous exchange. Wynne expressed his profound distress on Monday, admitting he was "absolutely heartbroken" over the public's reaction to their banter.

Reflecting on the incident on Monday, he shared: "I'm absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day. It's not nice to live in that time, but basically Katya and I are really, really close and we're really good friends, and on Saturday night we made a stupid joke. It was a stupid joke that went wrong, OK? We thought it was funny. It wasn't funny. It has been totally misinterpreted."

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One

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Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks sparks calls for 'disqualification' over 'illegal' move

Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks sparks calls for 'disqualification' over 'illegal' move

Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks sparks calls for 'disqualification' over 'illegal' move

Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks sparks calls for 'disqualification' over 'illegal' move

Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks sparks calls for 'disqualification' over 'illegal' move