BBC embroiled in fresh favouritism row as Strictly fans outraged at Nigel Harman dance trend

BBC embroiled in fresh favouritism row as Strictly fans outraged at Nigel Harman dance trend

WATCH NOW: Strictly unveils Weekk 4 routines

BBC
Alex Davies

By Alex Davies


Published: 14/10/2023

- 09:00

Nigel Harman is currently one of the frontrunners to bag the Glitterball Trophy

Strictly Come Dancing fans have made their feelings known after a number claimed to have spotted a trend in the dances for Week Four.

Ahead of Saturday's show, Strictly bosses have revealed the routines and songs each couple will perform now the cast has been trimmed down to 13 following Les Dennis and Nikita Kanda's exits.


Among the performances set to be carried out on Saturday are GB News' very own Angela Rippon performing the Rumba, Layton Williams tasked with the Cha Cha, and Annabel Croft taking on the Jive.

When it comes to frontrunner Nigel Harman, he and partner Katya Jones will hope to impress with a Salsa to Suavemente by Elvis Crespo.

This means Harman will have performed a Latin-themed routine in three of the four weeks he's competed so far.

His Paso Doble in Week One landed him top of the leaderboard with a score of 32 while Week Three's Jive hit a slightly less impressive note as he and Jones scored 25 and finished 11th.

In between the two Latin routines, Harman and Jones took on the Viennese Waltz which landed them in the middle of the pack with 27 during Week Two.

Nigel Harman and Katya Jones

Nigel Harman and Katya Jones performed in Movie Week

BBC

While it isn't a given Harman performing Latin dances will rocket him up the leaderboard, the fact that after four dances 75 percent will have been in that particular style has caught the eye of fans.

Taking to the comments section of the Instagram clip that unveiled the Week Four dances, one fan typed: "Another fast Latin for Nigel, I think they should alternate ballroom to Latin each week!

"Or just go to how it used to be when half did the same Latin and other half did the same ballroom then it’s fair!"

A second soon agreed: "Yeah it’s not fair when some of them keep getting dance styles that suit them!"

A third echoed the original poster's point as they added: "It's an advantage to Nigel to get the dances that might not suit him out of the way earlier.

"He's so popular that his fans will vote regardless."

This isn't the first time Harman has been embroiled in a favouritism row as earlier this series, fans claimed he and Amanda Abbington were given routines different from any fellow competitor in order to help them stand out.

Other complaints with the routines so far in this series have included a number of viewers feeling pro dancer Gorka Marquez was "stitched up" with the routine he and Kanda had to perform which led to their departure from the series.

While fans will have to tune into Saturday night's show to see if Harman can impress with yet another Latin routine, bookies seem to think he has what it takes to not only avoid elimination but make it all the way to ballroom glory.

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According to Ladbrokes, Harman is currently the 7/4 frontrunner to lift the Glitterball, with Bobby Brazier close behind at 3/1 and Angela Scanlon at 5/1.

However, it looks like Week Four could be the end of the road for Jody Cundy who is the odds-on favourite to follow in Dennis and Kanda's footsteps.

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