Strictly’s Shirley Ballas admits why she voted against Layton Williams
Shirley Ballas has shared an insight into one of her dance-off votes!
In the tenth week of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing competition, Bad Education star Layton Williams and TV presenter Angela Scanlon found themselves in the dance-off.
In the end, Angela lost her place on the hit BBC show, as three of the judges – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke – voted to save Layton.
However, before Angela officially departed from the competition, head judge Shirley shockingly revealed that if her vote had been required, she would have chosen to save Angela.
At the time, the 63-year-old dance expert stated to host Tess Daly: “Well, important for me always when it comes to Ballroom and Latin is the character of the dance, that it's true to the dance, timing and quality, and I would have voted for Angela and Carlos.”
Now, as Layton and his professional partner Nikita Kuzmin prepare to perform in this Saturday’s Strictly grand final, Shirley has opened up about her reasons for initially voting against him.
Speaking on last night’s edition of companion show It Takes Two, Shirley was asked about the fateful dance-off, to which she replied: “He was lucky that the other three saved him.”
“It wasn't how I had taught American Smooth for 50 years. There were lots of things and elements missing. But I'm glad he's here now and I'm very very excited to see him in the final,” she praised further.
After being voted through by the public, Layton will now go head-to-head with two of his Strictly co-stars – Coronation Street alum Ellie Leach and EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier – to compete in this weekend’s final.
Each couple will perform three dances live in the Strictly ballroom, in a bid to be crowned 2023 champions and lift the Glitterball Trophy.
The grand final of Strictly Come Dancing will begin tomorrow night (Saturday, December 16) on BBC One at 7pm.
