Yahoo News Strictly's Michelle Tsiakkas responds to judges' scoring criticism
Strictly Come Dancing star Michelle Tsiakkas has responded to claims that she and Jamie Borthwick had been undermarked throughout the series.
The pair became the ninth couple to be eliminated from the series as they lost out to Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe in Sunday’s (November 24) dance-off, with the duo agonisingly missing out on the quarter-finals.
Despite averaging a healthy 31.7 points across their stint, several viewers have claimed that the couple had been treated harshly compared to their competitors, with Michelle reasoning that their paso doble from week 5 – for which they scored 39 points – proved to be a high-bar.
Related: Strictly Come Dancing couple receive first perfect score of 2024
“When we peaked with that paso, the judges were expecting technical perfection with each dance,” Michelle told Fleur East on Monday’s (November 25) episode of It Takes Two. “But it’s difficult to achieve given [Jamie’s] busy schedule.
“We both did our best, and we thoroughly enjoyed every single moment. That’s what it’s about, even when the pressure is high,” she continued, with the professional adding that they got the “full package” from their Strictly experience.
Jamie, who plays Jay Brown on EastEnders, also spoke about the pair’s final routine, a foxtrot for which they scored 32 points, saying: “I loved that dance. I felt elegant, being in the costume. I loved the whole style of it.”
Related: Best streaming services UK 2024 — including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+
The pair also got a surprise from co-star Wynne Evans, with the opera singer – who was eliminated from the show in the ninth week – sending his own heartfelt message just a week after Jamie had paid tribute to his friend following his own exit.
“What a legend,” began Wynne in the video message. “What a Strictly journey – you were utterly brilliant from beginning to end. And I’m so pleased we got to share this experience together. Love you loads mate – enjoy today and enjoy your best bits. I’ll see you soon.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Interested in talking about Strictly? Visit our dedicated sub-forum
Read more Strictly news on our dedicated homepage
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