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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Strictly viewers fume judges should be 'reminded' of rules after Will Mellor exit

Strictly Come Dancing viewers have suggested Will Mellor should have technically made it to this weekend's big final.

Some fans of the BBC show have pointed out that three of the show's judges forgot one of their own rules when sending the Coronation Street actor home on Monday night in favour of voting to save Fleur East.

Will found himself in the dreaded dance-off alongside the former X Factor star and her dance partner Vito Coppola after the remaining couples took to the ballroom floor in the quarter-finals on Sunday night.

The two couples were then asked to perform their favourite routine of the night once again during Monday's pre-recorded show, as the judging panel of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas watched over with a judicious eye.

Some Strictly fans feel Will Mellor should have been saved following Monday night's dance-off (BBC/Guy Levy)

Fleur and Vito performed their Charleston to Tu Vuo Fa L’Americano by Fiorello, after which Will and Nancy performed their Couples’ Choice to a 90s Manchester-inspired medley.

After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts on which couple would be progressing to the final next week, with only Anton deciding to save Will and Nancy "due to an error in a dismount from a lift" from Fleur and Vito.

However, eagle-eyed Strictly fans have picked up on a little detail that means Will should be currently training for Saturday night's big final.

Only Anton voted to save Will following the dance-off (BBC/Guy Levy)

As the results were revealed on Monday night's pre-recorded show, many fans took to social media to point out how Anton was the only judge to mention Fleur's dance-off error - something that should have seen her eliminated.

Strictly judges have always maintained their dance-off decisions are based solely on the last dance they see from the two couples in the firing line, with past performances not considered when deciding who will go home.

Fuming on Twitter, one angry fan wrote: "Based on the 'dance off alone' - someone should tell Shirley the rules. Wills's timing was perfection, Fleur made mistakes so why did Shirley save Fleur??? Anton saw the mistakes, the public saw the mistakes - let's keep it about the dancing please......"

Anton addressed the voting decision on today's edition of Lorraine (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"Anton was the only judge who judged the dance off only. Fleur did make mistakes," another declared, as a third ranted: "Unbelievable - how can you make a mistake in the dance-off & still go through? Strictly judges you should be ashamed!"

Another viewer added: "Annoyed that only Anton followed the rules for the dance-off. Will’s first dance off and left and Fleur has been in loads and messed up. Wrong decision."

Speaking on Lorraine on earlier today [December 13], Anton explained his voting decision.

"It’s been such a brilliant and close series," he told Lorraine Kelly on the ITV show, adding that in the bottom two, there are "real specific things that you have to take into consideration."

"Little things are quite big things, really," Anton continued to say.

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