Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left reeling on Saturday night after Thomas Skinner‘s salsa routine went viral for all the wrong reasons.
The TV personality, 34, took to the dancefloor in week two of the hit BBC competition with professional partner Amy Dowden, 35, performing to Dizzee Rascal’s hit track Bonkers as his wife Sinead proudly watched on from the audience.
However, within seconds of the performance kicking off, fans flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to blast Thomas’s dance skills, exaggerated facial expressions, and his constant tongue movements.
One unimpressed viewer fumed: ‘Watching Tom Skinner try and dance is actually making me feel sick. PUT YOUR TONGUE AWAY PLEASEEE.’;
‘@strictly it’s hurting my eyes make it stop (prayer hands emoji) Tom Skinner.’; ‘The way I feel genuinely ILL watching Tom Skinner oh my god.’;
‘Tom Skinner, dear on dear. It’s not your fault you can’t dance, but stop sticking your tongue out. Last thing anyone wants to see on a Saturday night.’;
Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left reeling on Saturday night after Thomas Skinner’s salsa routine went viral for all the wrong reasons
The TV personality, 34, took to the dancefloor in week two of the hit BBC competition with professional partner Amy Dowden, 35, performing to Dizzee Rascal’s hit track Bonkers
‘The Pools game is now the second worst thing I’ve seen today, Tom Skinner trying to dance with those facial expressions won’t erase itself from my memory quickly.’
Despite the criticism, Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 but was given the all-clear around 18 months ago, was full of positivity as she chatted to host Claudia Winkleman, 53, after the routine.
She said: ‘If I’ve learned anything in the last two years, life is too short, take risks.’
However, their risky salsa didn’t win over the judges, who awarded the pair just 13 points – one of the lowest scores of the night.
Amy also admitted she was slightly nervous during rehearsals due to Thomas’s intense ‘concentration face’.
She said: ‘It was okay until we had to do lifts and I was high up there and he had his eyes shut,’
However, the dancer added that she does ‘trust’ him before turning to him and gushing: ‘I’m so proud of you!’
Meanwhile, Thomas’s supportive wife Sinead took to her Instagram Stories earlier on in the evening to share a snap of the glitzy dancefloor as she waited excitedly for her husband to perform.
However, within seconds of the performance kicking off, fans flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to blast Thomas’s dance skills, exaggerated facial expressions, and his constant tongue movements
Despite the criticism, Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 but was given the all-clear around 18 months ago, was full of positivity as she chatted to host Claudia Winkleman, 53, after the routine
She said: ‘If I’ve learned anything in the last two years, life is too short, take risks’
It comes after the Daily Mail reported that Strictly stars are reportedly supporting Thomas amid accusations from fans that bosses ‘want him out first’.
The former Apprentice star is one of this year’s controversial signings for the BBC show, with viewers previously calling for him to be axed from the lineup.
Thomas started his stint in the competition on a bad footing when he grabbed a journalist’s phone (before handing it back) and stormed out of an interview during the annual press day.
He then admitted to having an affair on his wife Sinead in an emotional interview.
Thomas confessed to Daily Mail’s Katie Hind last week that the cheating scandal has been ‘awful for my poor wife to read it all’ as he came clean on the affair.
However, he put on a brave face as he made his dance floor debut with Amy Dowden last Saturday.
The Sun previously reported that Strictly fans are convinced bosses ‘want him out first’, in turn forcing the other stars to rally around him.
An insider told the publication: ‘Tom is just your average person who’s been flung into a frenzy of hate ever since signing up to Strictly.
However, their risky salsa didn’t win over the judges, who awarded the pair just 13 points – one of the lowest scores of the night
Meanwhile, Thomas’s supportive wife Sinead took to her Instagram Stories earlier on in the evening to share a snap of the glitzy dancefloor as she waited excitedly for her husband to perform
‘He’s rising above it all, but of course, it would get anyone down.
‘That’s why the support from his Strictly co-stars has meant so much to him.
The source added that Thomas has turned out to be one of the most popular members of the cast and that they are all ‘very protective of him’.
A Strictly source said: ‘It’s bonkers to suggest that dancing to a multi-platinum number one single is any sort of disadvantage.’
