Strictly's Pete Wicks defends 'illegal' moves after 'disqualification' comment

What did you miss?

Pete Wicks has defended his “illegal” moves on Strictly, joking that he’s “never been one to follow the rules”.

The TOWIE star and his pro partner Jowita Przystal came under fire at the weekend after judge Craig Revel Horwood found fault with the lifts in their Rumba. Delivering his critique, he suggested they should be penalised.

However, Wicks and Przystal defended themselves during an appearance on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two on Thursday, 24 October, saying it had “felt right”. “I’ve never been one to follow the rules,” Wicks said. “Listen, do I look like the sort of geezer that plays by the rules?”

What, how and why?

Revel Horwood didn’t hold back after the duo performed to Oasis’ Don't Look Back In Anger on the BBC show at the weekend, telling them: “As for the lifts, that is totally illegal. There were two lifts, one foot should remain on the floor at all times. Of course, it's up to the professional if they want to lose marks for that. And of course, you'll be marked down for that, and I think even a disqualification darling."

However, sticking up for his partner on It Takes Two. Wicks said: “I don’t think you should get any blame for that, as far as I’m concerned that’s the dance so far that I have enjoyed the most. Surprisingly. Because I felt I was just dancing as me rather than just trying to remember steps and that’s the first time I have done that, just going with it… that’s why we did it, because it felt right.”

He said of a “knee spin” move that he knew it was “illegal”, but had really enjoyed it anyway.

Read more: Strictly

• Strictly's Wynne Evans reveals 'everything went wrong' in show 'disaster'

• Strictly's Paul Merson doubles down on Craig Revel Horwood challenge

• Strictly's JB Gill insists past dance experience was 'completely different'

Przystal explained that one of the reasons for their lifts was that her “legs are too short” so didn’t reach the floor. She also explained that she and Wicks felt it was “so beautiful” that she “didn’t want to bother about, ‘Let’s bend the knees two more centimetres down so my foot can reach the floor’.”

“It was all about the feelings and that storyline,” she said.

What will Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal perform next?

Wicks received a score of 22 out of a possible 40 from the judges, and ended up third from the bottom of the leaderboard. However, the pair made it through to Halloween Week where they will be performing a Viennese Waltz to Frank Sinatra's That's Life.

Przystal said of their routine: "He is the Joker and I am Harley Quinn and we are just having a laugh!" "Yes, we are having a laugh," Wicks chimed in.

Strictly: It Takes Two airs on BBC Two at 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One at 6.25pm on Saturday.