Shirley Ballas faces backlash over Strictly Come Dancing scores

Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas faced criticism from viewers and fellow judges following her feedback to contestant Lawrence Robb. During a Rumba performance with professional partner Jowita Przystał, Ballas stated the routine was not her ‘cup of tea,’ citing a lack of foot pressure and a desire for the male dancer to be more in control.

Ballas awarded the couple a score of 4 out of 10, contributing to a total score of 20 out of 40. The decision led to audience boos and sparked disagreement among the judging panel. Fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood criticized Ballas’s stance, labeling her a ‘fun sponge’ during the segment.

While the performance placed Robb and Przystał in the lower half of the leaderboard, the show also saw high praise for other contestants, including Delta Goodrem, who received the first score of 9 in the series.