Blackpool weekend is always a special night in the Strictly Come Dancing calendar – and a former X Factor star made sure of it on Saturday.
Sadly, it was Wynne Evans and his dancing partner Katya Jones who left the competition this week after losing the dance-off on Sunday’s show.
Montell Douglas and her partner Johannes Radebe lived to dance another day after landing in the bottom two despite scoring 35 from the judges.
The decision to save Montell was unanimous, with Wynne leaving the competition after scoring 31 for his and Katya’s Charleston.
Tens were handed out all over the shop after brilliant performances from Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, and Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec.
On top of all the special moments caught on camera, the live audience were given a glorious memory to take home as Fleur East burst into song off-air.
The X Factor star, 37, was in the studio crowd on Saturday and was invited to do a bit of impromptu karaoke by Strictly professional Carlos Gu.
It’s not clear whether the footage was recorded before or after the live show on Saturday, but as the studio crew were moving props and bits of the stage around the Blackpool ballroom, Carlos burst into song.
Clutching a golden microphone in his hand, he stood atop the judges table belting out Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive at the very top of his lungs.
He then made his way across the ballroom floor and found Fleur sitting in the crowd – he pointed the microphone at her and the former Strictly star did the rest.
She stood out of her seat and joined Carlos in an embrace on the dancefloor as she hit every note of her unrehearsed display for the crowd.
The audience cheered and clapped them on other Strictly professionals – including a well-dressed Kai Widdrington – danced along to the music behind them.
On Instagram, Lajuani87 coommented: ‘Oh what a night! This was brilliant. Carlos, the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Maybe my favourite part of the night!’
‘EllieBMD said, ‘Carlos you’re an amazing dancer and an all-around entertainer, while @Carolababer called the routine ‘Just brilliant’.
The moment marked a triumphant return to the Strictly ballroom for Fleur, who made it all the way to the final when she competed back in 2022.
She was scoring 10s from as early as week three, scoring 40 in Blackpool after dancing a couple’s choice routine to a Destiny’s Child medley.
Fleur eventually placed third that year, only losing out to Molly Rainford and Carlos, while Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal took home the Glitterball Trophy.
The Sax hitmaker first auditioned for The X Factor in 2005 as part of the girl group Addictiv Ladies, who finished 12th overall after reaching the live finals.
She then re-entered the singing competition as a solo act in 2014, getting to the final and eventually finishing as runner-up to winner Ben Haenow.
As for this year’s Strictly, there are only seven couples left in the contest after Wynne and Katya’s exit, with the final set for Saturday, December 14.
Watch Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday, 7.05pm on BBC One.
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