Shirley Ballas Ignites Controversy on BBC Strictly as Fans Rage Over Pete Wicks' Scores: 'This is an Absolute Farce!'

Shirley Ballas, the head judge of the show, has ignited a firestorm among dance enthusiasts with her scoring antics on Saturday's episode. The 64-year-old ballroom icon found herself in the crosshairs of social media scrutiny, where she was dubbed “Shirley Biased” by viewers who felt her marks strayed into the realm of favoritism.

Enter Pete Wicks, the Essex heartthrob, as he took to the stage to perform a heart-wrenching Couple’s Choice routine, a tribute to his late grandmother. The 36-year-old, fighting back tears, joined pro dancer Jowita Przystal in addressing the judges. Now, while all four judges swooned over the performance—Craig Revel-Horwood went so far as to call it “moving and beautiful”—it was Ballas who soared into the stratosphere of acclaim.

With a twinkling eye and a maternal warmth, Ballas kicked things off with an emotional proclamation: “I am a grandma myself, a nana,” she began, setting the sentimental tone for her critique. “To see you dedicate that to your beautiful nan… Your dance was not only filled with beautiful movements, but your heart and soul shone through what you did.” You could almost hear the collective sigh from the audience as her praise wrapped around Wicks like a cozy blanket on a chilly night.

She awarded Wicks an astonishing score of 10, while the other judges tossed out two nines and an eight, elevating his status on the leaderboard above fan favorites like Sarah Hadland of Miranda fame and Eastenders’ Jamie Borthwick. It’s fair to say the scoring stirred the pot, eliciting cries of “favouritism” from viewers who felt Ballas was playing favorites.

“I’m sorry, but Shirley giving Pete a 10 is a f*****g joke,” one viewer vented on X (formerly known as Twitter), providing a glimpse into the emotional rollercoaster that reality TV can ignite. Another chimed in, “F*** off, Shirley! If that was Sarah (Hadland), she would’ve gone so much harder on the technique. I’m FUMING!”

Ballas herself seemed to be caught in a whirlwind of conflict as she critiqued Hadland’s performance, voicing her concerns about “issues with gapping” amid a chorus of jeers from the crowd. The Miranda star ended up with an eight—much to the displeasure of viewers who demanded justice. “Pete getting a 10 but Shirley giving JB a 9—absolute nonsense!” exclaimed another fan.

And then there’s the perplexity surrounding JB Gill, who soared to the top of the leaderboard despite not receiving Ballas’s coveted 10. “How the actual F could Shirley give a 10 to bloody Pete and a 9 to JB??!!??” one incredulous viewer raged. Meanwhile, Ballas insisted that Gill brought the spirit of a “Brazilian party” to the dance floor and looked like he was “in it to win it.”

In her defense, Ballas paid tribute to Gill’s previous partner, Amy Dowden, claiming, “She set you up for this kind of performance.” And thus, the dance drama unfolds—a mix of glitter, tension, and plenty of opinionated viewers wrapped in the fabric of this beloved competition. After all, in the world of Strictly, love and judgment often tango hand in hand.