Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke comment on Shirley Ballas's dance-off decisions

Strictly Come Dancing judges Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood have spoken out after head judge Shirley Ballas was criticised by viewers for her dance-off decisions.

The 62-year-old dance teacher appealed for "respect" after she was trolled on social media for saying she would have wanted to save The One Show's Richie Anderson over former X Factor star Fleur East.

Du Beke told Kaye Adams on BBC Radio Scotland: "Shirley decided what she decided. You know, you have your own basic principles about what you judge on and you make your decision based on those."

Read more: Strictly's Shirley Ballas responds to calls to remove her from judging panel

And the 56-year-old professional dancer insisted the judges did not confer before casting their votes, so Ballas was not just going against them for show.

Watch: Shirley Ballas gets her score paddles muddled on Strictly Come Dancing

He said: "The judging part of it is a really important part of the show and we don't confer...

"During the process, we can't even look at each other. It's really important that we don't make any sort of contact together because then it could be seen as deciding the results amongst ourselves.

"I'm very aware that I can't glance towards Shirley and raise my eyebrows. I look straight forward and I make my decision and we all do the same thing."

Meanwhile Revel Horwood, 57, wrote in his column in Best magazine: "Shirley seems to get great pleasure from contradicting me this year, doesn't she?!

"She's gunning for the big fight, I reckon. She's got that feistiness in her, she really went for my jugular in the first live show and, well, if you've been watching at all, you'll see she has continued to.

"What can I say – I haven't even started with Shirley, darlings."

In week three of Strictly, the judges were surprised when the public vote landed Anderson and East in the dance-off, as they had both achieved reasonable scores for their performances.

After the couples danced again Motsi Mabuse, Revel Horwood and Du Beke all chose to save East and her partner Vito Coppola.

Ballas – who as head judge would have the casting vote in the event of a tie – said she had wanted to save Anderson and Giovanni Pernice.

Read more: Strictly Come Dancing's second couple sent home in shock dance off

This led to some viewers accusing Ballas of being "sexist" claiming she favours male contestants over female.

However, the week before she had favoured Loose Women star Adams, 59, over Matt Goss, who was saved by the other judges.