Strictly Come Dancing: Shirley Ballas close to tears as Ashley Roberts tops leader board while Danny John-Jules suffers days after ‘bullying claims’

Emotional: Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev
BBC/Guy Levy
Emma Powell10 November 2018

Ashley Roberts maintained her spot at the top of the leader board after impressing with her tribute to her father on Strictly Come Dancing.

The former Pussycat Dolls star, 37, came close to a perfect score a week before heading to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom after bagging 39 points for her Contemporary routine.

Craig Revel Horwood said: “I think you are absolutely super – incredible. It’s difficult to find anything wrong with it.”

Darcey Bussell said: “You took my breath away.”

Emotional: Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev on Strictly Come Dancing
BBC/Guy Levy

Shirley Ballas was nearly reduced to tears as she said: “It was from your heart and purely danced from a difficult place. Your dad would be proud of you.”

Bruno Tonioli said it was “danced to perfection” and “flawless”.

Bottom: Danny John-Jules and Amy Dowden suffered a consecutive bad week
BBC/Guy Levy

But it was a bad week for Danny John-Jules who failed to win over the judges with his Samba, days after he was accused of “bullying” his dance partner Amy Dowden.

Resident Mr Nasty Craig Revel Horwood said: “I thought it was very spiky and very stiff with no fluidity. There is too much energy in your dancing and I never say that, but you need to chill out.”

John-Jules was forced to defend himself on Friday after it was reported he had been issued with a final warning for making “snide” comments at Dowden and allegedly reducing her to tears.

A BBC source denied the claims and said they had had a “small disagreement” that was resolved immediately.

Strictly Come Dancing 2018

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Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One, tomorrow at 7:50pm

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