When BBC bosses revealed a new system for judging the dance competition, some viewers speculated on the true cause of the change.
Strictly viewers were in for a shock last night, after it was revealed that head judge Shirley Ballas no longer holds the power in the event of a tie on the results show. The shake-up was announced at the end of the first live show of the season last night, with hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly dropping the news, with celebrity contestants reacting.
Fans are led to believe that the head judge may have had an ulterior motive after hearing Shirley Ballas’ response. If the votes are tied after the dance off, Shirley has to decide which couple in the bottom two should leave.
The four judges will have the same amount of authority under the new system, which will begin the following week, with a different judge having to send their choice home each week. Wondering how Shirley felt about the head judge twist, a fan asked on X.
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Shirley responded to the tweet, saying she was actually pleased with the change and that she was okay with it. When I received a call from a professional dancer, Shirley, 65, responded, “OMG I love it. I’m anxious to see Anton bring someone home, followed by a teary emoji.
One fan remarked, “It’s a fun twist, but it’s very rarely a split vote; it’ll be interesting to see if it ever gets used.” Another is pleased Shirley is no longer under the burden: “I was delighted. I never liked it when you were under so much pressure to choose your favorite and then been criticized by fans for it. If I’m honest, it was difficult to watch, and it was also difficult to read the comments.
A third thought Shirley might have contributed to the new rules’ revision. They made the speculative comment that “I personally believe you requested it in order to receive less abuse like you do annually.” Some vile behavior can be found on social media. What a great way to begin the year of competition”!
The celeb contestants also seemed concerned about the new format. “This changes everything!” exclaimed former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison.
Ross King added: “I just can’t believe it!” Meanwhile, EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal told the cameras: “I was nervous, but this is another level. Already wanting out, YouTuber George Clarke laughed: “Is it too late to run away?”
Over the years, Shirley has had to make the sometimes impossible decision that required it, as well as the sometimes brutal social media response. She revealed in 2023 that she experiences social media abuse and trolling from Strictly fans every year, and that she even hired a social media manager to assist her.
In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, the dance champion revealed previously that she hit an “all time low” because of the bullying. She said: “Last year I was struggling. It wasn’t just a little bit, it was a lot – the majority of it was in silence.
“It seemed to me to spiral out of control and had a terrible impact on me. I have a pretty reserved personality and have a tendency to hold everything in. It appeared to be larger than anything else when it all began to unfold.
“I was crying, I was emotional, but I was embarrassed about being so emotional. I didn’t want to talk to anybody about it. And that was an all-time low since I joined the show – it was the most negativity I’d ever experienced. The BBC were brilliant, checking in on me and offering counselling and support.”
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Source: Mirror
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