Amber Davies was overcome with emotion after achieving a flawless score on Saturday evening’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The performer shed tears following her energetic jive routine with professional partner Nikita Kuzmin, which earned them their first perfect 40 of the series.
The judges awarded maximum marks for their performance to Tina Turner’s Proud Mary during week 10 of the BBC competition.
Ms Davies struggled to contain her emotions before leaving the dancefloor to prepare for the evening’s Instant Dance challenge.
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin scored a perfect 40 from the judges tonight
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BBC/ Kieron McCarron
The achievement marked a significant moment in the competition, with only six couples remaining in the race for the glitterball trophy.
Head judge Shirley Ballas declared herself “speechless” following the performance, highlighting Ms Davies’s “outstanding” footwork throughout the routine.
The choreography demanded exceptional stamina and precision, which the judges felt Davies delivered consistently.
Motsi Mabuse praised the contestant for maintaining remarkable energy levels whilst executing the demanding steps.
Amber Davis and Nikita Kuzmin
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BBC
She commended the West End star for keeping the performance “tight” and “energised” despite the iconic song’s potential to overwhelm the choreography.
Anton Du Beke’s assessment focused on the vitality of the performance, stating “I wrote down ‘I love energy’. It was so brilliant that’s basically all I wrote.”
Craig Revel Horwood, known for his exacting standards, delivered his verdict in characteristic fashion with a single word: “Fab-u-lous!”
Ms Carney matched Ms Davies’s achievement with her own perfect score alongside professional dancer Carlos Gu.
Their Couple’s Choice routine, performed to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, left the former footballer visibly emotional after receiving four tens from the judging panel.
The routine incorporated various dance styles including breakdancing elements, earning a standing ovation from the studio audience.
Craig Revel Horwood declared that the performance had propelled Carney “into the Champions’ League, darling.”
Motsi Mabuse enthusiastically praised the routine, stating “Girl… this was just everything. This is a step up. This is the next level. Congratulations. You knocked it out of the park.”
Shirley Ballas became emotional herself, saying “I’m emotional because I love a strong woman, you are a superstar.”
The competition reached its tenth week following last Saturday’s Blackpool special, where all contestants progressed after La Voix withdrew due to injury.
The remaining six couples faced additional pressure with the introduction of a new Instant Dance challenge.
The format twist required contestants to discover their dance style moments before performing, with couples given just ten seconds to prepare a 40-second routine.
Amber Davies was visibly emotional after being awarded her first perfect score
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BBC
Lewis Cope and Katya Jones ultimately won the challenge, earning six additional points.
Earlier performances saw mixed results across the evening. Alex Kingston struggled with her cha-cha, receiving a four from Craig Revel Horwood after multiple errors.
George received 34 points for his quickstep despite admitting mistakes, whilst Lewis Cope earned 36 for his rumba before the Instant Dance victory.
Anton Du Beke described Carney’s performance as “an absolute celebration of you”, adding “I’m going to take a phrase from my friend down the end. That was Ah. May. Zing.”
Both Ms Davies and Ms Carney received tens from all four judges, Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
The perfect scores placed them jointly at the top of the leaderboard before the Instant Dance points were added.
Ms Balvinder Sopal scored 28 for her jive after footwork errors, whilst maintaining her characteristic humour about potentially facing another dance-off.
The evening featured notable mistakes from several contestants, with Alex Kingston receiving her lowest score since week one.
The results show on Sunday will determine which couple leaves the competition ahead of the quarter-finals.