Tonight's Strictly Come Dancing final was in full swing when head judge Shirley Ballas claimed she 'didn't have a paddle high enough' to score singer Fleur East for her judge's choice dance, the samba. Fleur and partner Vito Coppola scored a full 40 points for the energetic dance that judge Ballas had viewed in training earlier this week.
The head judge gave high praise to the couple: "I really do not have a paddle high enough for that samba you just produced, it was really world finals material. I've got professional couples who don't do a walk like that. You sold it with your soul."
Craig said: "I'm furious because I couldn't find anything wrong with it," going on to give them his first final 10. "You became a stronger Fleur, a stronger woman. You smashed that samba. I always had Danny Mac in mind with the samba, but you're the queen!"
Meanwhile Anton Du Beke said it was possibly the best samba he'd ever seen. Tonight, each couple is performing three dances - one dance chosen by the judges, one dance chosen by the couple, and a show dance. The show itself started at 7.05pm on BBC One tonight, Saturday, December 17, and will last until 9.35pm.
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