Strictly fans hit out at Tess Daly for ‘condescending’ comment to Rhys Stephenson as he breaks down in tears

STRICTLY Come Dancing host Tess Daly faced a backlash last night after a “condescending” comment towards Rhys Stephenson.

Tess, 52, consoled the CBeebies presenter, 26, when he broke down in tears after waltzing to You Light Up My Life by Whitney Houston on Saturday night’s show.

Ryhs is competing in the competition alongside his professional partner Nancy Xu, 30.

But on Saturday night, the pressure got a bit too much for Rhys when he broke down and confessed he’d had a tough week, which saw him in the dance-off.

BBC host Tess sought to comfort him with some kind words but viewers at home were less than impressed.

“Aw, come on darling. Aw Rhys, come over sweetheart,” she said to him, “Are you crying, honey?

“Are you having a little cry? I know you were so nervous. Aw I know you were really nervous and you really wanted to do well.”

Rhys wiped away his tears and replied: “I’m so sorry, it’s so embarrassing.”

Tess responded: “You don’t want to be in that dance-off again, do you? Not at all.”

But viewers at home felt Tess had rubbed salt in the wound and quickly flocked to Twitter to brand it “uncomfortable” and “condescending.”

“Oh come on now Tess, Rhys isn’t 5!! He danced beautifully & all we can hear at the end is you #Strictly,” one person wrote.

“That was uncomfortable to witness. Why did Tess feel the need to speak to Rhys like he was 6 years old? He’s a grown man, not her infant child #strictly,” another said.

Another fan didn’t hold back, branding her comments “condescending” and adding, “Give the job to Claudia she can carry the show by herself.”

“Genuinely chuckled to myself at Tess saying ‘you don’t wanna be in the dance off again do you?’ So patronisingly to Rhys,” one viewer wrote.

And another fan added: “Tess talking to Rhys like he’s just fell off the climbing frame and bruised his knee.”

Rhys received mixed reviews from the judges for his routine, with Cynthia telling him: “I love the connection the two of you have on that dancefloor, you move with such grace, I just want you to breathe more.”

Shirley Ballas also branded the routine “beautiful.”

However, Craig Revel Horwood had some stronger words, as he added: “I felt you were following and not leading this dance.

“For me it lacked drive completely, there was no swing, there was no sway, that is what made it look square and blocky.”