Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin’s hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas’ awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles’ awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

As a seasoned viewer of Strictly Come Dancing, I must say that this year’s edition has been nothing short of entertaining! From Nikita Kuzmin’s hilarious Shakira blunder to Shirley Ballas’ unfortunate leg incident, it seems like the show is filled with unintentional humor.


Strictly Come Dancing has faced many blunders over the years and some have gone down in history.

In the first three weeks of Strictly’s 20th anniversary season, viewers have already been treated to a number of amusing slip-ups and blunders.

Fans have found themselves laughing throughout the show lately, from Nikita Kuzmin’s amusing Shakira mix-up a week ago to Shirley Ballas’ unfortunate mistake during Movie Week.

In addition, there was an error involving one competitor, Nick Knowles, as he endured two injuries that made him miss a week of the competition.

Here, TopMob takes a look at the top 10 moments from the series so far. 

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

1. Cake shoved in Nick Knowles face

On his birthday, Nick found himself blushing when the cast serenaded him with “Happy Birthday” and offered him a cake. However, the moment turned sour when skilled dancer Carlos playfully squished the cake against Nick’s face.

At the initial live event, DIY SOS’s leading personality marked his 62nd birthday and received an enormous cake following his opening act.

2. Zara McDermott low-key return

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

In September, Zara McDermott reappeared in an exciting fashion on Strictly Come Dancing, and it appeared as if the higher-ups at the BBC were trying to maintain a low profile regarding her presence within the studio.

27-year-old ex-Love Island contestant went to the event accompanied by her boyfriend, Sam Thompson, to back their good friend Pete Wicks who was on the show.

Last year, Zara began dancing on the Strictly ballroom a year ago, but she found herself involved in a scandal when clips showing her partner, Graziano Di Prima, allegedly mistreating her through both physical and verbal actions were discovered by employees of the BBC.

Astute viewers spotted an interesting camera technique during the initial broadcast of the 2024 series last Saturday. As the cameras zeroed in on the audience, they abruptly changed their focus when Zara appeared on screen, instead opting to show the back of former contestant Fleur East’s head strategically.

Fans noted that producers seemed anxious about featuring Zara McDermott, so they focused more on Fleur’s hairstyle instead; The camera didn’t linger on Zara McDermott as expected, instead, it moved away quickly when getting close to her.

Producers are frantically trying to replace Zara in their content, and they’ve turned to Flour’s Hair in desperation; They’re clearly editing Zara out of every shot they can.

Simultaneously, others pointed out, “Yet Zara McDermott has made accusations of bullying against the Pro and criticized the show, yet she’s sitting in the Audience.

3. Shirley and Motsi kiss

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

During the initial live performance, Shirley Ballas extended an apology for surprising viewers with a kiss shared with her fellow judge, Motsi Mabuse.

64-year-old dance professional was offering guidance to Olympic swimmer Tom Dean and his dance partner Nadiya Bychkova on their tango routine, and in a spontaneous moment, she showcased her own dancing skills as an example.

Shirley clarified that the style relied heavily on body positioning, prompting Motsi for assistance in demonstrating this concept.

As an ardent admirer, I couldn’t help but cheer Anton Du Beke on, urging the ladies to give it their all with a hearty “Go on girls”! The moment was electric, and in a surprising twist, Shirley’s subtle head movement led to a charming, albeit accidental, kiss shared with Motsi.

On Sunday morning following the Strictly Come Dancing show, Shirley lightheartedly commented on Instagram saying, “Apologies @motsimabuse, you shifted your head prematurely! @bbcstrictly, what were your thoughts about last night’s performance?” (Paraphrased)

4. Craig’s ill-judged booze comment

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Criticism has been directed towards Craig Revel Horwood for a thoughtless remark he made about alcohol to former alcoholic, Paul Merson.

On Saturday evening’s program, I found myself offering critique to the ex-footballer, age 56, following his energetic Salsa performance to Pitbull’s Fireball, partnered with Karen Hauer.

At a BBQ, Paul was sipping on a drink while grilling, then discarded the glass and started dancing.

In the routine, he was given a low score of 15 out of 40, with Craig commenting that his movements seemed as if his feet were stuck to the ground, and Karen appeared to dance more around him rather than with him.

The straight-talking expert added: ‘It was like a comedy dance at a wedding I’m afraid. It was really not good. Those shunts were terrible.’

Afterward, Craig commented on the props at the beginning: “Clearly, the drinks from the BBQ boosted your confidence enough for that performance.

Paul then looked at his feet and mumbled: ‘I don’t drink’, in an awkward moment on the live show.

Spectators promptly pointed out the interchange, remarking on Twitter using the hashtag ‘#Strictly’: “Kindly let Craig Revel Horwood know that Paul Merson is in recovery from alcoholism. His recent comment was highly insensitive towards him. An apology would be appropriate.

‘Will Craig be made to apologise for comments to Paul Merson totally out of order!’

5. Craig’s ‘sickening’ comment

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left ‘feeling sick’ at a particular moment last month.

Moments prior to Tasha Ghouri and her partner Aljaž Škorjanec taking the floor for their Viennese Waltz on Love Island, Craig engaged in a conversation with host Tess Daly about their earlier dance performance.

Tess said: ‘There’s only really one way to describe our social media star, isn’t there, Craig?’

Craig replied: ‘Skibidi rizz, darling. Ski-bi-di rizz!’

In the rehearsals, it appeared that Tess was unsure about the meaning of the term, since she presented the VT (Video Tape) of the contestants.

The term, as defined by Urban Dictionary, refers to being at the ‘second-ranking tier of Rizz’ – a modern, youthful spin on the word ‘charisma’.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I find it intriguing when phrases are used without a clear understanding of their origins or meanings. For instance, some define ‘charm’ in a conversation between a man and a woman as a form of charisma displayed by the male party. However, to me, this seems more like a humorous or outdated notion rather than an accurate reflection of interpersonal dynamics. Instead, I prefer to view charm as a universal quality that can be exhibited by anyone, regardless of gender, who is able to captivate and engage others in a genuine and authentic manner.

6. Nick Knowles is forced to withdraw

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Last week, the star of DIY SOS was unable to participate in Movie Week, as speculation about his continued involvement in the show had arisen following an injury he sustained.

In the course of practicing his Charleston routine, Nick took a tumble while jumping, spraining his knee. This incident forced him onto crutches and subsequently, he needed to undergo an MRI scan at the hospital, as he had previously hurt his arm.

Last week, a representative from Strictly Come Dancing informed TopMob that due to an injury he received during practice sessions, Nick Knowles won’t be able to dance this weekend.

According to the contest rules for Strictly Come Dancing, Nick and Luba have been granted an automatic pass to the following week’s competition. Fingers crossed that Nick can get back on the dance floor soon. The entire Strictly Come Dancing team hopes for a swift recovery for Nick.

7. Craig orders Toyah Willcox’s husband to sit down

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Craig ordered Toyah Willcox’s husband to ‘sit down’ during Saturday’s show.

66-year-old singer, who recently exited the talent show as its most senior participant, has been in wedlock with musician Robert Fripp since 1986, making her the oldest performer in this year’s event.

During “Movie Week,” Robert took his seat with pride in the audience, eager to see Toyah and professional partner Neil Jones perform the challenging number “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from The Little Mermaid, portraying Ursula the sea witch.

After the performance, Craig told the pair it was ‘all a bit stuck in the mud, ploddy and floppy.’

Robert rose to his feet and began jeering at Craig, but Craig retaliated by telling Robert to take a seat, all the while sporting a grin.

8. Jowita falls head of heels for Pete

Strictly’s Pete Wicks and partner Jowita Przystal nearly suffered an on-air blunder last week.

The profesional dancer almost tripped over Pete’s feet as they danced during movie week.

Pete was dressed in a Tarzan costume while dancing around with Jowita to George In The Jungle.

9. Nikita’s hilarious Shakira mishap

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Last week on Strictly, Nikita Kuzmin had everyone laughing when he made a significant error while conversing with host Claudia Winkleman during the results show.

The dancer, who’d advanced to week four on the BBC show along with his celebrity companion, Sam Quek, was questioned about their upcoming dance routine, but he inadvertently provided an amusing slip-up instead.

He said: ‘I can give you more than a taste. Well first of all we are dancing the Samba,’ before breaking out into Shakira’s hit 2001 song, Whenever, Wherever’.

Nikita leaped from his chair and belted out, “‘Wherever, whenever, we’re destined to be side by side, I’ll always show up, and you won’t be far,’ causing his dance companions to follow suit, joining him in both singing and dancing along with the tune.

Yet, upon returning to his seat, Claudia expressed, “Nikita, I adore you deeply, but it was another of Shakira’s songs.

As Claudia questioned the lyrics of “Hips Don’t Lie,” Nikita found himself blushing deeply, covering his face with his hands, and momentarily at a loss for words.

At that instant, Sam’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as his partner, causing quite a scene, while Gorka Márquez, Aljaz Škorjanec, Pete Wicks, and Jowita Przystal collapsed in laughter over the amusing blunder.

After the performance, Nikita went on Instagram and expressed his apologies to Shakira, saying something like: “Wow, I’m really sorry @shakira”.

10. Shirley’s awful leg blunder

Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far
Strictly Come Dancing blunders: From Nikita Kuzmin's hilarious Shakira mishap, Shirley Ballas' awful leg blunder and Nick Knowles' awkward cake smash, a look at the top 10 moments of the series so far

Viewers of Strictly Come Dancing expressed frustration during a specific part of the live broadcast on Saturday evening, with some labeling it as “disappointing” or “unfortunate.

In the third week of the BBC dance contest, things appeared to be progressing smoothly, but then a comment from lead judge Shirley Ballas altered the situation.

As the camera shifted focus onto her and judge Motsi Mabuse, a pair of legs from the audience appeared on screen, visible just beyond them.

One eagle-eyed fan noticed the blunder and took to X to vent their frustration at the awkward shot.

It seems awkward placement of two female spectators during tonight’s Strictly Come Dancing, giving an appearance as if a restroom door is ajar. #strictlycomedancing #Strictly

Many others commented underneath saying they too had spotted it:

‘I noticed that too. Thought it was awful’…’Was very distracting!’

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2024-10-07 22:51

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