Copyright manchestereveningnews
Strictly Come Dancing fans were left issuing the same complaint about the Icons Week special as they called out a problem when it came to the judges. It is the second year that the themed week has taken place in the hit BBC One dance contest, having first been introduced last year to celebrate Strictly's 20th anniversary year. Its return on Saturday night (October 25), as week five of the competition took place, saw the remaining 11 couples take to the dance floor with a routine paying homage to one of the world's biggest singers or bands. Before the evening truly got underway, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly acknowledged the news of their departure from the series after fronting the show together since 2014. Claudia thanked viewers for their "beautiful messages" following their shock joint announcement this week, in which they said they'd always planned to leave together and how now was the 'right time', while Tess said they cannot "wait to spend the rest of this series with you". They quickly got on with the show by introducing the judges who also transformed into a number of music stars - with Craig Revel Horwood channelling John Lennon, Motsi Mabuse transforming into Grace Jones, Shirely Ballas putting on her best Elvis and Anton Du Beke, who emerged as David Bowie. The couples, meanwhile, paid their own tributes to the likes of Cher, Beyonce, Prince, the Spice Girls, Harry Styles and Celine Dion. But the theme didn't get down well with everybody, who felt that it became hard to judge the routines as they added a hint of the performer they were trying to channel into their routines. Strictly fans also claimed that the judges were 'inconsistent' with their feedback, and ultimately their scores, which led to them flocking to social media to complain. @imangiemac said: "I don’t think they should do icons week next year - it somehow doesn’t work asking people to embody a singing/dance icon but also keep to a dance style. I’d love to see them do a partner swap week like they did in the Irish version." @ansonclaire commented: "Judging seemed very inconsistent tonight. Happy with some couples incorporating their icon into their routine but criticising others for it. There's always been a degree of flexibility on themed weeks, and rightly so, otherwise what's the point of having a theme if you can't incorporate it into the dance. It's a light entertainment show, not a world championship ballroom/Latin competition, emphasis on the entertainment." @itisjesswhite wrote: "Tonight’s scoring was inconsistent. In fact, TRAGICALLY AWFUL! You have a dance that’s overmarked and then you have another that’s undermarked!! So questionable but more so infuriating!" @recantha asked: "Can we bin Icons Week next time? Seems that the judges don't get it and the character styles clash horribly with the dance styles. #strictly." @LoniNikita shared: "It feels like the judges forgot it was icons week and are just confused about why everyone’s acting like somebody else??? How you criticising someone for playing a character you told them to play#Strictly." @CharlotteG49201 added: "Dear #Strictly. Please don't do icons week again next year. The end."
