STRICTLY Come Dancing have revealed why they pulled their big-budget professional dance from yesterday’s results show.
Fans watching the hit BBC One dancing competition questioned why the segment did not appear on screen – despite it being teased by hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Sunday evening.
Strictly’s big show dance was pulled from Sunday’s episode
BBC bosses took the decision to scrap the footage after the Babbs Mill tragedy
Insiders have now told The Celeb Report that the performance was taken out of the final edit as a mark of respect for the three boys who died at Babbs Mill Lake.
The dance featured judge Craig Revel Horwood in full drag and the dancers as snowflakes.
It was filmed in front of a live audience at Elstree studios on Sunday night, ready to air to open Monday’s Results Show.
Sources said BBC bosses took the decision to scrap the footage after the Babbs Mill tragedy on Sunday, which saw three boys aged eight, ten and 11 lose their lives in the Solihull lake.
A TV insider said: “Strictly knew they could not air the dance in light of the awful news from Solihull.
“Naturally everyone on the show agreed and the decision was made not to air the performance.”
A Strictly spokesman confirmed the dance had been pulled for “editorial reasons.”
A BBC spokesperson added: “In light of tragic news events, we took the decision not to broadcast the group dance on this week’s results show.”
The dance saw Craig dressed in sequin leggings, a blonde wig and a purple tutu as the Snow Queen.
He sat atop a spangled throne with dancer Giovanni Pernice in a silver tuxedo as his man servant.
The pro dancers were dressed as angry villagers, before the Snow Queen bewitched them and turned them into snowflakes.
On last night’s episode Two Pints Of Lager actor Will Mellor was revealed as the next celebrity to leave the competition.
He broke down in tears on It Takes Two with his partner Nancy Xu after it was revealed they had gone.
Today he was photographed for the first time since he bowed out of the semi-finals and appeared emotional again.
Will was in the dance off against Fleur East and her partner Vito Coppola.
Fleur and Vito performed their Charleston to Tu Vuo’ Fa L’Americano by Fiorello, while Will and his dance partner Nancy performed their Couples’ Choice to a Nineties Manchester inspired medley.
Both Craig and Motsi Mabuse opted to save Fleur, while Anton Du Beke chose to save Will and Nancy.
The dance featured judge Craig Revel Horwood in full drag
Will Mellor was the latest celebrity to lose his place in the competition
