Strictly‘s Claudia Winkleman has said she loves that viewers are ignoring the judges and saving Pete Wicks.
The Towie star has often found himself towards the bottom of the leaderboard in the BBC ballroom contest but has been a hit with fans, so has avoided elimination and has made it all the way to the semi-finals. His Waltz with pro Jowita Przystal last weekend scored just 26 out of a possible 40, with Craig Revel Horwood only giving him five out of 10.
However, he avoided the dance-off, which was between Gladiators star Montell Douglas and Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, with Douglas sent home.
Speaking on spin-off It Takes Two, Strictly presenter Winkleman said fans were showing who had the power.
“I really love it that the public just adore Pete, they are paying absolutely no attention to the judges,” she said. “I think Craig gave him a five,” she added, as It Takes Two host Janette Manrara jumped in and exclaimed: “What was that?”
Winkleman responded: “So the people who are watching are in charge and they went, ‘No we would like him to go through’.”
She said that Wicks and Przystal made “a great pair”.
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“You can tell she really looks after him and he looks after her and always when Tess (her co-host Tess Daly) says his name in the results show and the shock he feels, that’s quite addictive,” she said.
“I think people love proving Craig wrong as well,” laughed Manrara.
Winkleman also told how she feels the current crop of celebs on Strictly are particularly “supportive” of each other.
“I think what’s happened this year, and it happens other years as well, is that they are all looking after each other… they are incredibly supportive,” said the TV star. “I know it is supposed to be a competition but it doesn’t feel too competitive this year.”
When Manrara noted that the contestants were always interrupting each other as they chatted to the hosts on the show, Winkleman replied: “That’s my favourite thing, it’s relaxed.”
“I think our celebrities are brilliant this year,” she went on. “I think they are really really funny. I want to have lunch with all of them.
“Individually, in a row, on the same day, at a sandwich bar,” she joked.
It Takes Two airs on BBC One on weekdays at 6.30pm.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One on Saturday night at 6.30pm.
