Vick Hope sparks Strictly Come Dancing 'fix' rumours with claim producers were called in before elimination over Seann Walsh

The DJ lost her place in the competition on Sunday night
Natasha Sporn22 October 2018

Strictly Come Dancing star Vick Hope has revealed that producers were called in before the final decision to eliminate her over Seann Walsh was given.

Hope, who was once favourite to win the competition, was booted out with partner Graziano Di Prima on Sunday after a tense dance-off against Walsh and Katya Jones .

And, speaking on Capital Radio Breakfast on Monday, the DJ revealed that there had been a conversation between producers before head judge Shirley Ballas gave her decision to save Walsh and Jones.

In response to Roman Kemp raging that it “isn’t the best kisser who goes through”, Hope said: “We had to have a dance off as well.

Eliminated: Vick Hope became the fourth celebrity to leave the competition
BBC/Guy Levy

“It was very strange because after the dance off, then the judges have to give their decisions but there was a bit of a conflab with some producers and then they gave their decisions.

“It was just stunned silence in the studio, it was a really weird atmosphere.”

Since the comments, a BBC spokeperson told Standard Online: "It is categorically untrue to imply that producers tell the Judges how to score or who to save. Each judge votes on each dance independently, based on its merits and in their expert opinion alone.

"The Judges use an electronic voting pad to transmit their score or choice of who to save to the production gallery which is then locked in and cannot be changed. Only after this does a Producer speak to the judges, advising them on how long they have to speak and reminding them to give a reason for their decisions. The process was exactly the same this weekend."

Kemp also asked Hope about speculation Ballas wasn’t her biggest fan during the show, with Hope admitting she had “never been spoken to like she was in week one” when her dance was heavily criticised.

Hope said: “I think I’ve gotta be careful what I say here, because you never know what someone’s thinking.

Saved: Seann Walsh and Katya Jones dancing the Quickstep
BBC / Guy Levy

“And it was from week one that people were suggesting there was something there, I don’t know. It’s been consistent and Saturday night I really felt it was just weird, wasn’t it?”

Fans were outraged when Walsh was saved over Hope and new professional Di Prima , the only one of the three newcomers to have a celebrity partner this year.

Many blasted the show for being a “fix” after Walsh’s Quickstep earned him a place in next week’s Halloween special despite recently hitting the headlines for kissing his married partner Jones.

Vick Hope presents Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp and Sonny Jay. Tune in to Capital Breakfast, weekdays from 6am – 10am and Saturdays from 6am – 9am.

Strictly Come Dancing 2018

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