Yahoo News Strictly Come Dancing's Aston Merrygold blasted for 'disrespectful' rehearsal in a graveyard
Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left outraged when last night’s show saw contestant Aston Merrygold rehearse his routine in a graveyard ahead of his live performance.
For Halloween week, the JLS star and his professional dance partner, Janette Manrara, danced the Paso Doble to Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, with Aston dressed as a skeleton.
![Aston and Janette rehearsed in a graveyard. Copyright: [BBC]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/sOstOFTco_9unD7_yE9Tkg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY5Mg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/21bd13de302fbe488ecf6f9f2a740cf6)
In the video trailer that played before they performed, the pair were seen dancing around a cemetery to get into the spooky frame of mind – something that viewers found wholly “disrespectful”.
Taking to Twitter as the show aired, fans wrote:
#Strictly don't agree with using a graveyard as a prop for entertainment for Aston's VT
— Trevor Parry (@troggiecymru) October 28, 2017
@bbcstrictly Aston + Janette's routine was fantastic, but filming a VT in an actual graveyard is disrespectful. Not cool.
— Dan O'Connor (@DanielDanikun) October 28, 2017
Aston merrygold in a graveyard is your career there fella #bbcstrictly #StrictlyComeDancing
— lloyd stafford (@lloydstaff) October 28, 2017
How disrespectful #Strictly filming dancing on people graves in a cemetery with Aston & Janette. Very poor taste @BBC
— Wilson (@Heels_and_Ink) October 28, 2017
I enjoyed that Paso from Aston. Very dramatic. The dancing in the cemetery was a bit disrespectful for me though. #Strictly
— Dawn Rigby (@dawnrigby) October 28, 2017
Taking Aston to a cemetery for a reality tv show Halloween special is rather disrespectful #Strictly2017
— Hidden Jim (@ElBurcho) October 28, 2017
In spite of the upset caused, Aston and Janette impressed the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli and Shirley Ballas.
Shirley said of the routine: “A modern twist, full of passion, extra rolls in hips, not conventional enough for me.”
![The star won praise for his spooky routine. Copyright: [BBC]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Oag5bP.ttm575C8gCWD5IQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY2Nw--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/aadc2e4aa08cee733e26e0c79cbc97d1)
The pair scored 38 for the routine, coming second in the leaderboard behind Debbie McGee.
Yahoo Celeb UK have contacted Strictly and Aston’s reps for comment.
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