EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal has officially entered the Strictly Come Dancing history books, setting a new record during Sunday night's results show.
A Record-Breaking Fifth Dance-Off
Balvinder Sopal and her professional partner Julian Caillon faced the dance-off for an unprecedented fifth time, marking a new milestone in the BBC competition's history. The couple were saved from elimination after dancing against Doctor Who star Alex Kingston and her partner Johannes Radebe.
This fifth appearance in the bottom two means the pair have now survived more dance-offs than any other couple in Strictly Come Dancing's long-running history. They have taken the title of 'Queen of the Dance-off' from Birmingham singer Jamelia, who previously held the record with four dance-off survivals during her 2015 stint on the show.
The Dance-Off Assassin Strikes Again
The record-breaking moment came after Balvinder made a quick-witted remark to judge Anton du Beke following her Saturday night jive performance. When du Beke critiqued her technique, stating "it was a good dance going well, until it didn't", Balvinder immediately responded: "I will come back and do it again in the dance off."
Fans have since dubbed her 'the dance-off assassin' and 'the luckiest Strictly contestant in Strictly Come Dancing history'. Social media platform X saw numerous reactions, with one viewer writing: "Balvinder the dance off assassin that you are!" while another commented: "Balvinder eliminating the other contestants one-by-one in the dance off every week."
Making Strictly History
The new record places Balvinder Sopal in a unique position within the Strictly Come Dancing universe. As one fan noted: "Balvinder Sopal has officially beaten 1/3 of the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing cast in the dance off..."
Another observer analysed her success, suggesting: "Balvinder Sopal is the luckiest Strictly contestant in Strictly Come Dancing history... every time she's been in the dance off, she either been with someone worse technically or someone who's having a bad week."
The previous record holder, Jamelia, and her partner Tristan MacManus had managed to reach Blackpool during their 2015 journey before being eliminated in week 10 against Peter Andre.
