STRICTLY Come Dancing viewers have claimed the hit show is ‘so fixed’ after scenes in last Saturday’s instalment.
Taking to social media, irritated fans accused head judge Shirley Ballas of showing favouritism to male celebs.
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The comments came after Towie star Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał took to the dance floor.
Addressing the pair afterwards, Shirley said: “A very masculine approach to the Rumba, I like that. With a very feminine lady on the end of your arm.
“I loved all the lifts. There probably shouldn’t have been lifts, should’ve been keeping your feet on the floor.
“But I’m going to let them slide. You picked up – they were excellent in what you did.”
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She added: “You isolated the upper-half of your body and you rolled those hips in the figure eight… I was mesmerised.
“I just need a little bit more of that figure of eight everywhere and you would have delighted me.
“That isolation, I’ll be thinking about that for a week!”
Some viewers, however were left unimpressed by Shirley’s assessment.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one wrote: “Still can’t believe how brutal the judges were on Sam.
“Yet afterwards Shirley says she’ll ignore Pete’s faults & illegal lifts cause she was turned on by ONE hip movement… HOW IS SHE EMPLOYED?!
“The gender bias is infuriating, every year!”
Another added: “Shirley is meant to be Head judge!!
“She shouldn’t be allowed to let things like lifts or bad footwork slide just because someone smiles & wiggles their bum.”
While a third wrote: “i love pete but shirley choosing to ignore the lifts is hilarious considering if that was a female celeb she would have eaten them alive.”
Shirley, 64, joined the BBC show in 2017, replacing Len Goodman as head judge.
An accomplished dancer, her speciality in Latin dancing ultimately brought the nickname “the Queen of Latin”.
Her son Mark Ballas was a pro on Strictly’s US equivalent Dancing with the Stars from 2007 to 2022.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.
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