Furious fans of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing have united behind a single theory following what many are calling the most shocking dance-off in the show's long history. The uproar came after Sunday night's results show, which saw two of the competition's strongest performers unexpectedly placed in the bottom two.
A Sunday Night Stunner
The results on Sunday, 7 December 2025, left audiences and judges alike in a state of disbelief. Amber Davies, the Love Island and West End star, found herself in the perilous dance-off despite having achieved a perfect score of 40 for her Charleston with professional partner Nikita Kuzmin earlier in the evening.
She was joined by actor Lewis Cope and his partner Katya Jones, a couple who had wowed viewers with one of the show's most iconic Halloween routines and secured the first perfect 40 of the entire series. The pairing of these two high-calibre acts for elimination was described as unprecedented.
Viewers Point to Voting Rule Changes
The widespread fan theory pinpoints a significant change to this year's voting process as the root cause. For the 2025 series, the traditional telephone vote was scrapped, with the BBC instructing viewers to vote exclusively online or via a QR code.
Many loyal viewers argue this move has disenfranchised a core part of the show's audience. One angry fan took to social media to state: "I think it’s really poor the #Strictly voting has changed. My 85-year-old aunt watches it & always used to call & vote but now it’s just the web or a QR code. Neither of which she has access to. It’s discriminatory."
Another supporter echoed this sentiment, writing: "Lewis and Amber being in the bottom two is a direct result of The BBC deciding to only use online to vote, this show is made for middle aged older women who haven't a clue how to use QR codes." Calls to reinstate the phone and text vote were swift and passionate across platforms.
Judges Left 'Speechless' by the Outcome
The shock was not confined to the living room. The judging panel on the night was visibly stunned. Anton Du Beke remarked that whichever celebrity was eliminated would go down as 'the best dancer to not make the semi-finals' in the competition's history.
Head judge Shirley Ballas appeared close to tears as she addressed the two couples. "I'm absolutely speechless...I'm going to speak for everyone when I say we're shocked to see both of you here," she told them. In the end, it was Lewis Cope who was eliminated after the dance-off, sending Amber Davies through to the next week.
The controversy has sparked a major debate about accessibility and tradition in one of the UK's most beloved television institutions, with many questioning if the shift to a fully digital vote has altered the fundamental fairness of the contest.
