STRICTLY’S Katya Jones and Lewis Hope have been embroiled in a cheating row as fans claim the pair broke a show rule.
The pair danced a tricky Jive in the Instant Dance challenge during Saturday night’s live show, after a tense exchange in rehearsals earlier this week.
Some viewers claim the pro-dancer, 36, was instructing Lewis during the challenge, which saw couples given just ten seconds on the dancefloor to discuss their routine before performing,
The incident refers to a moment where Katya and Lewis were stood on the stairs ahead of the Jive, where, it is claimed, Katya recreated a move with her arm and leg to Lewis.
The celebs and pros had been required to stand separately ahead of the dance in order to prevent them from communicating with each other.
But Katya appeared to lift her leg to the side – which was the move they ended the dance with.
Ticked off fans who noticed the move went straight to social media to voice their criticism.
One wrote on X: “No conferring till the ten seconds yet Katya does this to indicate to Lewis to jump through her leg like on Blackpool night I’m sorry but that is cheating in the instant dance plain and simple #StrictlyComeDancing.”
Another said: “Katya & Lewis SO had that final move ready to go *whatever* dance they were given……. #Strictly.”
While one chimed: “So much for the professionals not talking to celeb before the 10 seconds.
“Katya showed Lewis the leg move to do whilst on stairs and Nikita and Amber were shouting across stairs to each other before Karen danced. Surely that’s breaking the rules of this challenge. #strictly.”
Despite the claims, the dancing duo received support from others, who dismissed the cheating allegations, with one even describing the claims as “bitter”.
One wrote: “LEWIS AND KATYA DID NOT CHEAT IN THE INSTANT DANCE CHALLENGE!!
“It was never said that the couples couldn’t signal to each other on the stairs!!
“You’re all just bitter that he’s the best dancer and it’s pathetic trying to bring him down like that. #Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing.”
While another fan wrote: “‘People are saying they cheated because Katya signalled to Lewis on the stairs about the jump through her legs.
“But that wasn’t even part of the jive, just a bit of fun they did at the very end, and they NEVER said the couples couldn’t signal to each other anyway.”
One voiced: “if i see one more comment like this about Lewis and Katya – THEY ALL REUSED ELEMENTS OF THEIR OLD DANCES that is literally the point.”
The BBC declined to comment when approached by The Sun.
Viewers were left baffled by the “chaotic” first ever Instant Dance challenge, which saw judges swapping seats, with presenter Claudia Winkleman donning a fruit hat.
Fans seemed to enjoy the spontaneous nature of the challenge, and begged to see more similar moments.
One wrote: “This is pure chaos and I love it!”, while another added “This is chaos… do it every week”,
Judges scored Lewis the full six points, Balvinder Sopal with five, Amber Davies with four points, Alex Kingston with three, George Clarke scooped two and Karen Carney last with just one point.
