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Nikita Kuzmin has addressed his celebrity partner Dani Dyer being marked down on Strictly Come Dancing over illegal lifts in their routine.
The pair performed a Paso Doble during Saturday (14 November) night’s show, dancing to Lorde’s cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”.
However, after the routine, the couple were scolded by judge Craig Revel Horwood for including lifts in the choreography – which are banned in the Paso Doble as well as a number of other Ballroom and Latin dances.
Horwood said that the performance was “littered with illegal lifts”, adding: “You’re taking the mick with four massive lifts in that. One foot should remain on the floor at all times.”
As a result, Horwood awarded the pair just a six, while the other judges gave them eight – resulting in them falling from top of the leaderboard to the middle.
Kuzmin has now spoken out about the feedback, admitting that he feels “guilty” about the choreography.
In a video shared on Strictly’s Instagram Story, Kuzmin and Dyer were seen leaving the stage, with Kuzmin telling Dyer: “That was really great. I do have to say, I do feel guilty because Craig took points off you for something that I did.”
Dyer then told him: “I loved dancing it. It doesn’t matter. I loved it. I loved the lifts. I just think they felt powerful doing them, didn’t they?”
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“Oh it felt great, it was really great,” Kuzmin replied. “The choreography was great. But it’s a shame in terms of points – you deserved way more,” to which Dyer responded: “I know, I know.”
Dyer and Kuzmin slipped down to fifth on the leaderboard last night with their total score of 30, while Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby shot to the top with their near-perfect score of 39. The ex Love Island star wowed the judges with his Charleston to “Blame It on the Boogie” by The Jacksons.
Joint bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 27 are Graeme Hall, Will Best and Lacey Turner – with the latter also facing criticism over the choreography of her routine.
The EastEnders star and her professional partner Vito Coppolo performed a Foxtrot to Robbie Williams hit “Have You Met Miss Jones?”. During the judges’ feedback, Turner looked close to tears as Revel Horwood criticised the pair for spending too much time apart on the dancefloor.
Coppolo interrupted the judge to tell him that 50 per cent of the Foxtrot should be “open”.
“I created the choreography so the responsibility is ours as as a pro so you don’t have anything to worry about,” he said, telling Turner. “You’ve been amazing, you are beautiful and I am so, so proud of you.”
Sunday’s results show will reveal which celebrities have made it through to next weekend’s show, which is taking place at Blackpool Tower.
Strictly Come Dancing: The Results begins on Sunday at 7:15pm on BBC One.