Shirley Ballas has admitted that she has had her fair share of sleepless nights after this year’s season of Strictly took an unexpected turn when Lewis Cope was eliminated
Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has admitted she was left wide awake all night after Lewis Cope’s emotional exit from the competition.
While on BBC spin-off show It Takes Two, Shirley opened up to host Fleur East about the toll this stage of the competition has taken on her, especially as the remaining couples edge closer to the final.
When Fleur asked how she was feeling with the semi-final less than 24 hours away, Shirley replied sombrely: “Well I didn’t sleep yesterday, I didn’t sleep when Lewis got eliminated and I probably won’t sleep tonight because you never know where the show is going to go at the moment.”
She went on to explain just how unpredictable this year’s contest has become, adding: “It is not set and it could be anyone who goes home and anyone who can win, so it will be very interesting tomorrow.”
Lewis, who is best known to viewers for his role on Emmerdale, was eliminated last week after going head-to-head with Love Island star Amber Davies in the dreaded dance-off.
Many fans were devastated to see him leave just before the semi-finals. But Lewis spoke fondly of his time on Strictly after his exit, saying: “It’s been more than I could have ever wished for. If someone would have said that I’d have done 11 weeks on the show at the beginning, I’d have been over the moon and snap their hand off.”
He went on to thank the show and his professional partner Katya Jones, telling her: “You’ve literally given me absolutely everything I could wish for as a friend, as a teacher, and yeah, I couldn’t imagine it with anybody else.”
An emotional Katya returned the praise, calling Lewis one of the most memorable contestants the show has seen. “You will be remembered as one of, if not, the best male celebrity we’ve ever had on the show,” she said, adding that he would also be remembered for being “an incredible person”.
Away from the ballroom, Lewis’s girlfriend Rachel Lopez also spoke out following his exit, hitting back at viewers’ claims that he had an unfair advantage due to his musical theatre background.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, she wrote: “What most people never saw was the pressure you carried, especially with people assuming you would walk in as a trained dancer (which you absolutely weren’t!).”
Rachel praised Lewis for handling the criticism he received with grace, adding: “The heartbreak isn’t a sign you have failed, it just shows how much courage you had.”
On It Takes Two Shirley went on to offer some quick advice to the remaining couples ahead of the semi-final, encouraging Amber and Nikita to “bend knees and have a lot of fun,” while calling for more “connection and partnering” from some of the other contestants.
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