Of all the Strictly Come Dancing traditions that have evolved over the show’s 15-year run, the most reliable – other than affairs and sequins – is the emergence of at least two horrifically cringey and/or awkwards moments every series. Thanks to the performances of Mike Bushell and Chris Ramsey on Saturday, there are already moves from 2019 that belong in the ranks of the greatest (as in worst).
10 When Anita did the ‘Rampant Crab’
The American smooth combines elements of waltz, foxtrot and viennese waltz, so it is open to a certain amount of creative interpretation. We definitely didn’t expect this moment from 2015, when Gleb Savchenko and the broadcaster Anita Rani created a new signature move, prompting an unimpressed “You flew across the floor like a rampant crab” from Len Goodman. It is a body scuttle that has not been seen since, which is probably for the best.
9 When we all thought Stacey had forgotten her underwear
Sometimes dancers forget the steps, but their pants? For a moment during Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton’s series-winning pasodoble in 2018, it looked like the TV presenter had gone commando. Social media had a brief panicked flurry until it was confirmed that she was wearing flesh-coloured undergarments. Calm down, everyone.
8 When Colin did an odd puppet showdance
The hurdler Colin Jackson and Erin Boag were favourites going into the Strictly final in 2005. Then the infamous puppet dance happened. It was a brave and creative departure from the norm, but the judges were absolutely brutal, describing it as an end-of-the-pier gimmick that wasn’t up to showdance standards. Sadly for Colin, the public agreed: the Strictly glitterball went to the cricketer Darren Gough.
7 When Mike was put in charge of the lifts
The American smooth is not normally a stressful watch, but the cowboy-themed dance by Mike Bushell, the sports presenter, and Katya Jones on Saturday was a heart-in-mouth experience from start to finish. Mike didn’t look comfortable with the endless complex lifts, which included a perilous shoulder ride – Katya clearly has a deathwish. My blood pressure still hasn’t recovered.
6 When Susannah and Anton did a samba to forget
Sometimes there is a moment in dance that goes a bit wrong, or perhaps an embarrassing fall at the end, but this samba from 2018 was 100% cringe from start to finish. In the first 30 seconds, the TV presenter Susannah Constantine (of Trinny & Susannah fame) lifted her dress to reveal Anton du Beke, then gave him a bum squeeze before everything got progressively more awkward and we all wished it would just end.
5 When Chris cartwheeled into Karen’s crotch
Cartwheels are fair game in a charleston, but they aren’t always delivered in the traditional fashion. On Saturday, the comedian Chris Ramsey wasn’t having any of Craig’s criticism of how straight his legs were, stating: “In my defence, that’s the first time I’ve ever cartwheeled into someone’s crotch.” Pointing at Karen Hauer’s crotch to demonstrate his point probably wasn’t necessary.
4 When Mark got into a tangle with Karen
Things went a bit wrong for the cricketer Mark Ramprakash and Karen Hardy in 2006 when their microphones got tangled during their salsa. They stopped the dance before being wired together for all eternity, Brucie came out to smooth things over, then they started again and nailed it – and went on to win the series.
3 When Ann blessed Blackpool with a samba
The time Ann Widdecombe spent on Strictly in 2010 covered the spectrum of hilarious, awkward and embarrassing, but the pinnacle was the floor spin at the end of the Brexit party MEP’s Blackpool samba. It was handled manfully by Anton, from the awkward hopping to something that almost looked like a lift. I doubt the legendary tower ballroom had seen anything like it.
2 When the judges’ scoring went awry
Live TV is a wonderful thing ... when it works. In 2018’s lindyhopathon, Shirley Ballas got confused between “seventh place” and “seven points” – and everything went downhill from there. The couples looked confused, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman tried to get some clarity, Craig Revel Horwood distanced himself from the whole business and, in an extraordinary twist, Bruno Tonioli was the only one talking any sense.
1 When Ed almost dropped Katya
For the first minute of this American smooth, the former shadow chancellor Ed Balls looked perfectly comfortable showing Katya the way to Amarillo. But then he lifted her on to his shoulders and the performance turned into a slow-motion disaster movie: she slipped, tilting forwards as though she was about to dive head-first into the floor. Luckily, Katya was saved by her core of steel and a spot of light flailing. Phew.
