{"id":176175,"date":"2025-12-09T22:49:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T22:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/176175\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T22:49:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T22:49:08","slug":"bbc-strictly-accused-of-rigging-the-semi-final-as-karen-and-bal-forced-into-same-semi-final-dances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/176175\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC Strictly accused of \u2018rigging\u2019 the semi-final as Karen and Bal forced into same semi-final dances"},"content":{"rendered":"

Strictly Come Dancing bosses are facing backlash ahead of this weekend\u2019s semi-final after viewers spotted Karen Carney and Balvinder Sopal have been given the exact same two style of dances.<\/p>\n

Fans are accusing producers of the show of forcing the public to choose between them.<\/p>\n

Strictly’s official Instagram page confirmed both couples will perform a Waltz and a Salsa, prompting debate over whether this was a strategic move to pit them against each other.<\/p>\n

One viewer wrote: \u201cWhy does this feel like you want the public to choose directly between Karen and Bal by giving them the exact same dances?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CarlosCarlos Gu and Karen Carney | BBC<\/p>\n

Another frustrated fan echoed the sentiment, saying: \u201cKaren and Balvinder having the same dances when it was completely avoidable is certainly\u2026 interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others agreed, with one person replying: \u201cI thought the exact same\u201d while another said: \u201cUgh, they\u2019ve done this with Jive and Cha Cha too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The official Strictly caption teased \u201cdouble the dance\u201d with routines to RAYE, Whitney Houston and Michael Bubl\u00e9, although the announcement left some fans more suspicious than excited.<\/p>\n

Viewers argued it would now be easier for the judging panel and the public to directly compare the pair against each other.<\/p>\n

\"Balvinder<\/p>\n

Balvinder Sopal and Strictly newcomer Julian Caillon<\/p>\n

| <\/p>\n

BBC<\/p>\n

Not everyone believed producers were masterminding a showdown, however.<\/p>\n

Several fans rushed to defend the show, calling it \u201cjust bad luck\u201d that the pair ended up with matching styles.<\/p>\n

One commenter suggested: \u201cJust the luck of the draw. You could say they\u2019re setting George up for a fail by giving him two fast dances. Poor love will be shattered!\u201d<\/p>\n

Another fan argued the show plans dances far in advance based on scores and where celebs are \u201clikely\u201d to end up in the competition.<\/p>\n

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS<\/p>\n

\u201cThey plan these well in advance,\u201d one viewer wrote. \u201cLewis going was a shock. They give the \u2018crowd pleaser\u2019 dances to celebs they expect to leave, and save the big ones for potential semi-finalists.\u201d<\/p>\n

They claimed Ms Carney and Ms Sopalr may have simply run out of options from the dances they still had left.<\/p>\n

Fans also reacted to the shock elimination of Lewis Cope and Katya Jones, who many believed were robbed of a place in the final.<\/p>\n

One viral comment joked: \u201cWhat\u2019s Lewis dancing to? Because I know you were pulling our legs by eliminating him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another sarcastic post read: \u201cCongratulations Lewis and Katya for being the first couple in history to ever win with no need of the final episode.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the upset, many viewers said they were \u201cpumped\u201d for Saturday and praised all the remaining couples.<\/p>\n

Some fans have declared themselves firmly behind George Clarke, who has a Charleston and Samba.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge got lucky with a Charleston\u2026 I\u2019m here for it!! Team George!\u201d one fan wrote.<\/p>\n

\"Lewis<\/p>\n

Lewis Cope was eliminated this weekend despite being a fan favourite to win<\/p>\n

| BBC<\/p>\n

As the Glitterball Trophy edges closer, the four semi-finalists, Balvinder & Julian, Karen & Carlos, George & Alexis, and Amber & Nikita, now face the hardest weekend of the series.<\/p>\n

With double routines on the cards and fanbases fiercely campaigning online, Strictly\u2019s showdown appears to be starting before the couples even take to the floor.<\/p>\n

Amber & Nikita will be dancing to the Couple’s Choice to Fly Me To The Moon by RAYE and Tango to Higher by Michael Buble.<\/p>\n

George & Alexis will be taking on the Charleston to We No Speak Americano to Yolanda Be Cool and samba to Volare by Gipsy Kings.<\/p>\n

Karen & Carlos are set to salsa to Turn The Beat Around by Vicki Sue Robinson and Waltz to One Moment In Time by Whitney Houston.<\/p>\n

Balvinder & Julian are preparing to waltz to At This Moment by Michael Buble and Salsa to Rhythm Is Gonna Get You by Gloria Estefan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Strictly Come Dancing bosses are facing backlash ahead of this weekend\u2019s semi-final after viewers spotted Karen Carney and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":176176,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[2974,3623,156,111,139,69,6156,437],"class_list":{"0":"post-176175","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-bbc","9":"tag-celebrity","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-new-zealand","12":"tag-newzealand","13":"tag-nz","14":"tag-strictly-come-dancing","15":"tag-tv"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176175\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}