Layton Williams tells Strictly trolls 'stop coming at me with hateful comments'

Layton Williams has told Strictly Come Dancing viewers to stop wasting energy on "hateful comments" after another week of social media trolling.

The actor and West End performer has come under fire from some Strictly viewers who claim he has too much dance experience to take part in the BBC One show.

Williams, 29, regularly performs some of Strictly's highest-marked routines and on Saturday night achieved his highest score with partner Nikita Kuzmin for their Salsa, which scored a near-perfect 39 points as every judge apart from Craig Revel Horwood awarded it a 10.

But comments on Strictly's Instagram included more complaints, as one person wrote: "Sorry, but he’s far to professional to be on the show."

Someone else added: "What is the concept of strictly? Celebrities with no previous dance experience in a competition to learn and improve and the best person wins? Or, trained celebrities with dance experience coming on to widen their dance career?"

Another viewer asked: "As Layton has danced in the West end why is he on this show."

On Monday, Williams hit back at the trolls by suggesting that they should pick a celebrity they do like to focus some positivity on instead.

He tweeted: "Instead of coming at me with hateful comments, use your energy to shower your fave celeb with love instead. Pretty sure it will make us all feel much better! #ChooseJoy x"

Carol Vorderman supported the star by commenting: "Mwah."

Plenty of Williams' fans backed him, too, as one person commented: "If people have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything! People are really forgetting how much their hateful comments can effect a person as well as people close to them! You keep being you!"

Someone else agreed: "Ignore the haters Layton - you’re brilliant at what you do; so you do you. We’re all rooting for you and that beautiful smile."

Another fan added: "FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE on Saturday walk tall and hold your head up high. Ignore all the horrible comments."

Williams and Kuzmin got their first 10 in week four for their Cha Cha, coming back from a tough movie week which saw them drop down to mid table for the first time with their Grease-themed Viennese Waltz.

They had topped the leaderboard in week two with a Quickstep and their debut performance on the show saw them into third place with a Samba.

Head judge Shirley Ballas has told Williams she hold him to a higher standard in judging as he is so talented, but after his success in week two, he spoke out about how much the trolling was getting to him.

Williams posted on social media: "The messages of love are overwhelming but as is the low key trolling.

"I’m just here to have fun like all the other contestants. I’m trying to handle this with a smile and determination to slay another day but reminder #BeKind #Strictly."

The actor first found fame in the lead role of West End show Billy Elliot the Musical and went on to star in Jack Whitehall comedy Bad Education.

His other theatre roles have included playing the lead in Everybody's Talking About Jamie, as well as appearing in Hairspray, Rent, Kiss Me Kate, and dancing in Matthew Bourne's The Car Man.

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