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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Roisin O'Connor

AJ Odudu performs ‘best dance of the evening’ in Strictly Come Dancing debut

BBC

AJ Odudu wowed Strictly Come Dancing fans and judges as she made her debut on this year’s competition.

The TV presenter is among the celebrity contestants on the show, and is partnered up with new dance professional Kai Widdrington.

She achieved the highest scores of the night after performing the jive, including a first-ever 9 for week one from judge Shirely Ballas.

She also received a 9 from Anton Du Beke and 8s from Craig Revel-Horwood and Motsi Mabuse.

Du Beke called the dance “absolutely remarkable”, while Revel-Horwood joked that her mother, who was in the audience, had him in a headlock for the entire performance.

He called the dance “absolutely incredible”, while Mabuse hailed it as the “best dance of the evening”.

The ecstatic 33-year-old revealed this was her first time dancing properly and that she was “gobsmacked”.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturday nights on BBC One. See the full list of contestants here.

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