Strictly viewers fume over judge’s ‘outrageous’ response to Balvinder Sopal’s emotional routine

Strictly Come Dancing viewers are out in full force to defend Balvinder Sopal after she received ‘outrageous’ treatment this weekend.

The EastEnders actress performed a joyous couple’s choice routine tonight with her pro partner, Julian Caillon, and there wasn’t a dry eye in living rooms across the country afterwards.

Balvinder, 46, dedicated the Bollywood/Bhangra number to her late mum, who died last year, and used it as a celebration of her culture.

There’s no denying it was a joyous routine, with fans at home praising its ‘authenticity’ and judge Motsi Mabuse giving it a standing ovation.

But while Motsi, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke happily whipped out the nine paddles, it seems Craig Revel Horwood wasn’t so blown away by the whole thing.

Instead, he scored Balvinder, who has been in the dance-off several times now, a seven, which quickly infuriated people on social media.

Taking to X, @lucymaygoodwin raged: ‘Craig scoring Balvinder a 7 is actually criminal’.

‘I’m sorry but how can Craig comment badly on a style of dance HE HASNT EVEN DANCED BEFORE AND WILL NEVER DANCE?!?!? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE’, wrote a livid @laura_alixo.

‘How was that a 7 Craig?! Votes to Bal and Julian tonight!’, posted @hearthbymegan.

‘craig scoring balvinder a SEVEN ??? … ABYSMAL’, echoed @eastenderskel.

@michellepryde urged the show’s harshest critic to ‘give [his] head a wobble’, while @emilyslotx asked: ‘in what world was that a 7?’

In his feedback, Craig, the longest-serving judge, told the couple: ‘I am totally obsessed with this style of dance. I absolutely love it and totally respect it.

‘It lacked, for me, definition; it really did. It needed to be a lot cleaner and a lot sharper and have more attack at the end of your phrases.’

As the audience drowned him out with boos, he concluded with a compliment: ‘Your shaping, however, is absolutely excellent, your timing is superb, and, you know what? You owned that tonight.’

Meanwhile, Motsi praised: ‘I know that your mum is watching, and he’s so proud of you.

‘I’m also so happy that you got to do this dance on this floor after all the weeks that you’ve been through.’

Shirley went on to declare it Balvinder’s ‘best dance so far’, adding: ‘I learned some things from you! I shall be teaching those in my private lessons.’

‘I’ve criticised you over the weeks for not having enough commitment in your legs … well, you absolutely nailed that tonight,’ Anton echoed.

‘It was a joy. I loved every second of it. You seemed much more secure in everything you did.’

Those at home were left in tears watching Balvinder’s performance, which resonated on a personal level with many.

‘We’ve had South Asian dance on #strictly before but its always been heavily Bollywood influenced because that’s whats palatable for the audience. So proud of Bal to take the risk and be the first to do authentic Punjabi moves on the Strictly dancefloor!’, tweeted @putasinghonit.

‘I am so so so proud of Balvinder. What an incredible way to showcase Punjabi and South Asian culture so loud and proud. This will mean so much to many and is pure joy. We even got a Dhol player!!!’, praised @SabrinaSpectre.

Speaking in her opening VT ahead of taking to the dancefloor, soap star Balvinder said her late mum was her ‘biggest cheerleader’.

‘Last year was a really terrible year for us,’ she said through tears. ‘Losing my mum felt, and still does feel, like I’ve lost a part of me.

‘Me and my mum, we had a brilliant relationship. And one of the things I loved was coming home from work and sitting down and having a cup of tea with my mum, wrapped in a blanket, and we’d just be warm together.’

On her grief, she added: ‘I said no to every single thing that came my way, and then Strictly came knocking, and I thought, yeah, I’m gonna do it. This is my yes year.

‘And I’m gonna do it because I wanna be seen, because my mum would want me to be seen.’

Her mother, Nirmal Sopal, died in February, with Balvinder penning a devastating tribute at the time, saying she felt ‘proud to be her daughter’.

‘A fierce supporter of all of her kids & grandkids mums unique ability to get through to us was second to none. She was our rock, friend, confidant, guiding light. She was my No. 1 fan travelling up & down the country, with dad watching shows. Mum was an extraordinary teacher of life just by being & doing everything with love’, she wrote in her Instagram caption.

‘LOVE is Mum’s legacy.’

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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