Strictly star Chris Robshaw’s wife has expressed disapproval of the show including more experienced competitors, calling it “wild”.
The rugby player, who is partnered with pro Nadiya Bychkova, found himself near the bottom of the leaderboard after the first live show of the new series.
His performance arrived after former Love Island winner Amber Davies was drafted in at the last minute to replace Dani Dyer who had to withdraw due to a fractured ankle.
Davies’s casting raised eyebrows as she has previous dance experience and is trained in musical theatre – and when her fellow Love Island star Amber Gill complained that having people with so much dance experience on the show is unfair, Robshaw’s wife Camilla Kerslake said she agreed.
The classical crossover singer wrote: “The experience differences are absolutely wild. Definitely.”
Shortly after Robshaw’s first performance, Kerslake wrote on Instagram: “Proud forever. Up against people with years of experience when you’ve never even done a two-step, opening the whole season and starting with one of the hardest dances going.
“They tested you HARD. You and @nadiyabychkova blew me, and the crowd away. Definitely some lessons for next week but you were absolutely astonishing.”
Davies defended herself from backlash on companion show It Takes Two, stating: “Ballroom and Latin are worlds apart from what I’ve experienced on a West End stage, you know”. She called them completely different techniques.
Emmerdale star Lewis Cope also has dance experience, having performed in the West End production of Billy Elliot.
Robshaw admitted that the challenge of Strictly will be unlike anything he has faced on the rugby pitch.
“This is about as far out of my comfort zone as it gets! I’m hoping to take my dad dancing to a whole new level, and my mum can’t wait to drag me along to her Zumba class. Let’s see if a rugby sidestep works in the Cha Cha Cha,” he said.
Former Lioness Karen Carney topped the leaderboard on Saturday night’s show. The points amassed by the celebrities will be rolled over for this weekend’s show, with the first elimination set to occur on Sunday (5 October).
Viewers were left concerned when model Ellie Goldstein appeared upset and overwhelmed in the aftermath of her first dance.
On X (Twitter), many praised Goldstein’s dancing, but some viewers expressed worry during the course of the episode that she had been left upset by her score or her experience on the night.
“Is Ellie OK? She looked a bit upset there,” asked one person. Another tweeted: “Please someone take her backstage and give her a brew and a hug. She’s so close to tears. It’s heartbreaking.” Another person insisted that Goldstein appeared “overwhelmed”.
Goldstein cleared up any worry, explaining that her wet eyes during the episode were not because of an upset.
