The BBC apologised after Strictly Come Dancing head judge Len Goodman apparently swore live on air during.
The head judge seemed to mutter “fuck” as he expressed his delight at a performance by Blue star Simon Webbe and his partner Kristina Rihanoff inside Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom.
“I think it’s this place, something about the atmopshere, the audience are behind everyone – you come in here, the home of dance – fuck,” Goodman was heard to say.
Presenter Zoe Ball apologised, telling viewers on the BBC One primetime show: “I also would like to apologise. Len got a little bit carried away with the excitement of the dance and I’m very sorry for the bad language.”
A BBC spokesperson told the Mirror: “Len was caught up in the amazing atmosphere following Simon and Kristina’s Argentine Tango and used some inappropriate language.
“We apologised immediately for any offence caused and we hope it didn’t spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the show.”
Webbe, who raised his eyebrows when he heard the apology, received the joint highest judges’ scores.
He scored 38 points out of a possible 40 for an Argentine Tango, which was only matched by pop star Pixie Lott with her partner Trent Whiddon.
Judge Darcey Bussell, who gave Webbe a 10, told him: “The man is meant to be in charge of this dance and you certainly were. You were passionate and intense.”
Fellow judge Bruno Tonioli described him as “the dark lord of Buenos Aires”, adding: “That climax at the end really was spectacular.”
Meanwhile Lott received rare praise from judge Craig Revel Horwood, who said she was an “indomitable force”.
Judy Murray and her partner Anton du Beke danced the Viennese Waltz to Let’s Go Fly a Kite from the musical Mary Poppins, and their performance ended with the tennis mum being flown away with a bunch of balloons.
But Revel Horwood brought her crashing back to Earth with a bump when he told her she had “appalling” posture and there was only “a good 15 seconds” in the whole routine.
The show concluded with television presenter Caroline Flack and partner Pasha Kovalev dancing the Jive to earn a score of 37.
Another contestant will be eliminated following a dance-off on tonight’s show.
