The judges on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing have been branded “harsher than ever” after the opening week of the competition, according to showbiz expert Leigh Purves.
Speaking to Angela Rippon, Ms Purves praised the performances but admitted she was surprised at how tough the scoring was.
Ex-Daily Express Showbiz Editor told GB News: “I thought it was fantastic. I was slightly taken aback at how harsh the judges seemed to be, certainly for the first week of voting.
“I think Karen Carney’s jive was fantastic, it made me want to take up jiving. And I think Ross King got marked really badly. I actually felt quite sorry for him.
Showbiz expert Leigh Purves said she thought that the judges were harsh this year
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GB NEWS
“Having met him several times, obviously in the showbiz scene and as a fellow journalist, I knew how utterly nervous he was. I think it’s going to be a bumpy ride for all the contestants this year.
“The judges are really focusing on the footwork on the floor, and absolutely everyone needs to up their game.
“But it’s absolutely fabulous, more than 100,000 sequins involved in the show we saw last night and it can only get bigger and better.”
Judge Craig Revel-Horwood delivered particularly scathing feedback throughout the evening, dismissing rugby player Chris Robshaw’s samba as “heavy and stiff” whilst criticising its absence of fluidity and hip movement.
The judge awarded Mr Robshaw and partner Nadiya Bychkova merely 14 points. Gossip columnist Ross King faced the harshest criticism, receiving just 10 points for his performance with Jowita Przysta.
Mr Revel-Horwood’s assessment was brutally concise: “Don’t come back with the same dance darling, that’s all I can say.”
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Ms Purves added: “I think that the first programme is always the opportunity for people to decide more who is likely to get the chop rather than who is going to make it through to the Glitterball.
“So many people were so close in their marking last night, and so many clearly show the opportunity to improve week by week.
“But it’s usually quite easy to spot who’s going to be thrown out.
“I think Ross King definitely will probably in a matter of weeks. Stefan Dennis, who played Paul Robinson for many years on our screens in the Australian soap Neighbours, I don’t think he’ll be in it for much longer either.
BBC Strictly 2025 had its launch last night
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BBC“I felt quite sorry for him, and also having to dance to the Neighbours theme tune was just pure genius.
“I couldn’t work out whether it was pure genius or pure cringeworthy entertainment, but definitely I think we’ll see them go.
“Whilst the rapport among the contestants is very friendly and amicable at the moment, very supportive, I know that within two to three weeks we’re going to have tears, tantrums, and fallouts galore.”