Clarke

STRICTLY viewers have spotted a last minute wardrobe change as George Clarke danced his first Couple’s Choice – but did you see it?

Podcaster and social media personality George, 25, is competing on the show alongside new pro partner, Alexis Warr, 25.

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George and Alexis took the floor tonight with their couple’s choice accompanied by Soda Pop from K-Pop Demon Hunters.

The lively hip-hop dance thrilled the audience but viewers spotted a last minute costume change.

Taking to social media one wrote: “Thank GOD the wig changed.”

Another added: “WHYD THEY GET RID OF THE WIG.”

While a third exclaimed: “Not George taking that ugly blue wig off.”

“The fact he said NO WIG for the show,” added another.

Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo praised the dancers and declared: “I am so proud of you because earlier I felt you were not taking yourself as seriously as you could.”

Shirley Ballas agreed and said: “You were flying like an angel.”

However, Anton Du Beke stated: “You came alive…but I thought it lacked a bit of edge.”

Craig Revel Horwood echoed this and said: “It needed to be sharper.”

But Oti Mabuse added: “You’re doing a beautiful job and keep going.”

When the scores came in George and Alexis received 6 points from Criag, 8 from Oti, 9 from Shirley and 8 from Anton giving them a respectable total of 31 points.

Cheers rose from the audience and the adorable pair looked very happy with their scores.

Meanwhile, viewers have branded the show’s latest judge shake-up awkward after a baffling decision.

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Cynthia has spent the week working with the celebrities and their partners to help them with their performance and offering up her advice during their training.

However, when the live show kicked off, hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman confirmed that despite the huge hype surrounding Cynthia being on the panel, the actress was barred from scoring the couples.

As she wasn’t allowed a paddle to mark the pairs, Cynthia found herself sitting awkwardly among the judging panel as the other four judges offered up their scores.

It left fans at home begging the BBC to let Cynthia have a paddle last-minute after branding her inclusion on the panel “awkward”.

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Great Britain’s Joe Clarke said he was “stuck for words” after claiming a fourth consecutive kayak cross world title in Australia.

The 32-year-old took time out of the sport after finishing with a silver medal at the 2024 Games in Paris.

He missed the early part of the season following the birth of his second child and says he struggled to “find his feet” in the subsequent World Cup events.

Clarke won silver in the men’s individual time trials and bronze in the team kayak earlier in the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Sydney, but showed his class in the kayak cross, continuing his remarkable run after winning the three previous editions of the event.

“It was a dream to come here to retain that title after getting silver in the Games last year,” said Clarke, who finished well clear of France’s Mathurin Madore in second place and Czech canoeist Matyas Novak in third.

“To compete on the biggest stage at the Olympics is massive but then I actually took some time off afterwards, so I’ve been working towards this.

“I have kind of been finding my feet the second half of the season, but it seems like I found them now.

“I came today with a point to prove and I think I’ve done that. To take a fourth world title, I’m stuck for words.”

Clarke is not the only one looking ahead, with the Tartan Army now dreaming of returning to football’s biggest show next summer.

After a difficult time in the spring and summer, the draw in Copenhagen set Scotland up nicely, and though the performance in beating Belarus was far from flashy, it was professional and delivered a critical result.

Che Adams’ goal just before half-time calmed the nerves, and his lovely pass helped force an own goal which saw Scotland over the line in a game played in Hungary behind closed doors.

Although Belarus did not offer a great deal, goalkeeper Angus Gunn only made one meaningful save, a third clean sheet in a row was welcomed by Clarke.

It is a sign of Scotland returning to the more form which helped them qualify for two European Championships.

“Clean sheets are what we have to build our campaign on,” the Scotland head coach said.

“If we can keep the ball out the net we’ve always got enough to score one or two goals.”

Scotland have rarely put any team to the sword under Clarke’s tenure, but overall they have been effective in building on a solid base and being clinical in key moments.

“It’s going to give the whole team a lot of confidence,” former Scotland captain Scott Brown said on Sportscene.

“There were four changes as well, which shows you he can manipulate the squad well too.

“That’s credit to Steve. He’s not going to 4-3-3, full throttle, he’s always been about making sure his defensive unit is there, having structure in midfield, and when they do get opportunities take them.”

Allan: I am once again proved wrong. Asking why Ryan Christie is playing, then he puts in a man of the match performance. Scotland battled hard and deserved a point after a shaky start where they continually failed to keep the ball. Eventually, Scotland grew into the game and could have sneaked it. The last 15 minutes it was all hands to the pump in defence and holding out for the point.

G A Simpson: Same old conservative approach from Clarke. Dykes and Adams up front might seem adventurous, but there is no pace there. Dykes and Doak would have exposed the Danes to more risk and may have created more clear cut chances, given the fact that they seemed jittery at the back. Nevertheless a good defensive performance. A decent point taken.

Keith: Good point to start us off. Yes we didn’t play exciting attacking football but we played to our strengths against a top ranked team. Big difference with Hickey and Dykes in the team. Everyone played their part, just need three points against Belarus to make it an acceptable double header.

Martin: Seems to be with some folks that Clarke can’t do right, I for one was expecting a thrashing tonight but proved wrong, decent performance, good result.

Stuart: Same old stagnant line-up with a plethora of exciting and in form players on the bench that did not get a sniff, personally I am left frustrated with a point because I think with a fresh perspective we could have won that tonight. Although, credit is due to the back line tonight, they were solid.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has conceded he “feels the pressure” to get the nation to their first World Cup finals in 28 years.

Under Clarke’s guidance the Scots have reached two European Championships, but have failed to emulate the achievement of Craig Brown’s group in 1998.

The country’s latest qualification campaign, this time for next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, commences away to the formidable Danes on 5 September.

“I feel the pressure,” the stoic and normally unshakable Clarke told BBC Sport.

“I think there is a pressure because we do want to get there, the whole country wants to get there, and obviously as a head coach a little bit of that comes back on me.

“But I’m looking forward to it.”

The Scotland boss was speaking to Match of the Day’s Kelly Cates as he prepares for what potentially could be his last campaign.

The 61-year-old, who is due to name his squad next week, has previously said he is 75% sure his time in charge of his country will come to a close after this World Cup campaign ends.

It is a journey which started just over six years ago, with Scotland having not qualified for a major finals since that French sojourn back under Brown.

A summer fling has been flung twice at the Euros, albeit with the Scots falling flat in their attempts to make it out of a group for the first time.

In World Cup qualifying, a glorious chance to make it to Qatar was passed up in a home play-off to Ukraine.