EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal delivered an emotionally charged Viennese waltz on Strictly Come Dancing to “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman tonight, breaking down in tears and captivating the judges.
The 47-year-old, who has narrowly avoided elimination via the dance off several times throughout the series, delivered a poignant performance with her professional partner Julian Caillon.
“I love you more than ever now. This was epic,” said judge Anton Du Beke.
“Making an entrance is everything and as you walked on, you looked absolutely stunning. You brought everybody in, it was an exquisite beginning.
“This is a huge song and I would have been enormously disappointed if you’d crept around the floor but you bombed,” he continued.
“You danced with a freedom that I’ve only seen in your Instant Dance.” Shirley Ballas added: “You will always be a hero for me. Coming back to dance that kind of performance, I have chills.”
Craig Revel Horwood offered a more critical assessment: “I had a problem with your arms, they need to extend from your body. Your left shoulder sometimes was raising up. On the final lift, you were a little bit sickled.” Yet, he acknowledged: “But it had flow, feeling, emotion. You are a fighter.”
The raw emotion moved Balvinder to tears as Motsi Mabuse praised her resilience. Mabuse, descending to offer a comforting hug, remarked: “You were in a different type of feeling and I felt like whatever you wanted to say came out through that dance. What you have been through must be demoralising.”
Shirley Ballas capped off the praise for Sopal, adding: “You will always be a hero for me. Coming back to dance that kind of performance, I have chills.”
Opening Saturday night’s musicals special was a five-minute routine that saw each pair take to the floor to dance to songs from shows including My Fair Lady, Oliver!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins Returns.
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This weekend’s musicals special will also see the Strictly professionals perform Cell Block Tango from Chicago, with a separate performance from former Strictly contestant Tom Fletcher alongside the cuddly bear from Paddington The Musical.
Last weekend, soap star Lewis Cope and dancer Katya Jones made Strictly history by winning the first-ever Instant Dance challenge and Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston and actor Johannes Radebe were voted off the show following a cha cha cha to Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bel”l.
