The Strictly Come Dancing ballroom turned into a battleground on Saturday night (4 October) as Thomas Skinner, the fiery 34-year-old former Apprentice star, let his frustration boil over after receiving a measly 13 points for his salsa performance to Dizzee Rascal’s aptly titled “Bonkers.” The controversial businessman didn’t hold back, audibly shouting “no” backstage after judge Craig Revel-Horwood slapped him with a brutal score of two out of ten.
Skinner, partnered with the ever-professional Amy Dowden, tackled a series of ambitious lifts in their high-energy salsa routine, but the judges were far from impressed. Revel-Horwood didn’t mince words, likening Skinner’s performance to a “weight lifting competition” and slamming the routine for its lack of “hip rotation or fluidity.” Despite the harsh critique, he threw in a backhanded compliment, noting Skinner’s “strength of an ox.” Oti Mabuse diplomatically called the performance “interesting,” while head judge Shirley Ballas offered a lukewarm “You gave it a go.”
Speaking to host Claudia Winkleman post-performance, Skinner leaned into his unpolished charm, quipping, “I ain’t good at dancing, so I might as well do some lifting.” His frustration reached a fever pitch when Revel-Horwood’s score was revealed, with Dowden burying her face in Skinner’s shoulder as he let out his now-infamous shout. The mood lifted slightly as Anton Du Beke and Ballas each awarded the pair a more generous four points, but the damage was done.
This marks Skinner’s second week of low scores, following a 12-point paso doble in week one that also earned just two points from Revel-Horwood. The consistent low marks have sparked heated debate among Strictly fans. Some viewers were as unimpressed as the judges, with one taking to X to call Skinner’s salsa “the most disturbing thing I’ve ever seen.” Another dubbed it “bonkers in every sense of the word.”
However, not all fans were ready to write Skinner off. Some argued he was unfairly set up for failure with the salsa, a dance style that didn’t play to his strengths. “I reckon he might be better with ballroom,” one supporter speculated, suggesting the choice of dance may have “thrown him under the bus.”
Skinner’s Strictly journey has been anything but smooth, with the internet personality facing intense scrutiny even before his first dance. His recent photo with US Vice President JD Vance and vocal support for Donald Trump have fueled a social media backlash, with critics questioning his place on the BBC’s flagship show. Unfazed, Skinner addressed the controversy head-on, declaring that every insult only makes him stronger.
As the Strictly scoring wars heat up, all eyes are on Skinner and Dowden to see if they can turn the tide in the coming weeks. Will the outspoken entrepreneur find his rhythm, or will the judges’ critiques prove too much to overcome? One thing’s for sure: Skinner’s fiery spirit is keeping the ballroom buzzing.