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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Louise Lavigueur

Strictly fans demand voting figures as Hamza wins after landing last on leaderboard

Strictly fans have vented over viewers being left in the dark about the final points from the public vote which determined how close couple's came to finishing in first place.

Last night's epic show saw Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal's secure victory – as correctly predicted by the bookies – despite the pair actually finishing the leaderboard in bottom place.

The Strictly Come Dancing final is scored solely on the public vote with viewers not given the breakdown of the results – as is typical in every week's show – leaving some frustrated to not find out how close their favourite couples came to taking the top spot.

Hamza and Jowita on the winners' platform (BBC/Guy Levy)

Helen Skelton and Gorka Marinez were the only couples left not to have landed in the dance-off as former Strictly pro James Jordan predicted a 'two horse race' between the pair and Hamza and Jowita.

Meanwhile former X Factor star Fleur East, who had been tipped as an outsider to win, actually finished top of the leaderboard, with her and pro partner Vito Coppola getting a near perfect score of 119 out of a possible 120 after their three dances in the final.

Strictly 2022 finalists Jowita Przystal; Hamza Yassin; Vito Coppola; Fleur East; Carlos Gu; Molly Rainford; Helen Skelton; Gorka Marquez (BBC/Guy Levy)

The broadcaster's stance has been to never publish Strictly voting figures as viewers sparked debate on Twitter.

One person tweeted: "@BBC please advise how to apply for the official, so called independently verified voting figures of the Strictly final under the Freedom of Information Act. The 2022 series has been fixed."

A second reacted: "I really really really wish BBC would release the voting figures like ITV do. I'd be so intrigued to see how close that vote was."

Hamza stormed to victory despite finishing in the bottom of the leaderboard after the final dance ahead of the public vote (PA)

A third posted: "wish strictly released the voting figures it must of been so close between hamza and helen."

But it would appear it's not just fans who would like the viewers votes to be made public.

Judge Craig Revel Horwood previously argued that releasing the figures would be the best way to counter any score fixing claims.

Craig Revel Horwood agrees with fans calls for the public vote to be made public (BBC)

He told The Radio Time: "I only wish they'd make the figures from the phone vote public, to stop any talk of the show being fixed.

"But if one celeb gets 13 million votes and another gets two votes, it might not go down well.''

But the BBC's statement on the official Strictly Come Dancing site reads: "We invite you to vote for the dancers that you liked best, based on their performance in each show and during the series.

"Releasing voting figures could affect the way that people vote, and also have an impact on the participants. We therefore do not disclose the exact voting figures."

The scoring system on Strictly has long been a cause for concern from fans with claims of 'fixes' (BBC)

It adds: "Although the BBC is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, information which is closely connected to our programme-making is not covered by the Act.

"The Information Commissioner, who regulates the Act, has confirmed that information about public voting is not covered. We are therefore not required to disclose the voting figures under the Act."

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