Strictly star breaks down after making history in the BBC show
Emotions were running high on Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night as one contestant's performance had viewers crying too
by Joe Crutchley, Barbara Hodgson · ChronicleLiveEmotions were running high for one Strictly Come Dancing star in this week's show as she whirled her way into history.
On Saturday evening, Dr Punam Krisha, who is partnered with Gorka Márquez, was seen performing the first traditional Bollywood number to feature in the long-running BBC series. And it proved a big occasion for the doctor and TV personality - as well as affecting for judges and viewers.
In the Movie Week special of the dance competition, the pair danced their Couple's Choice routine to Bole Chudiyan from iconic Bollywood movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, as The Mirror reports, leaving the Strictly judges impressed. Judge Motsi Mabuse was left in tears despite saying she promised herself she wouldn't cry.
Then, after receiving glowing feedback, Punam became emotional while talking to Claudia, who asked her: "Tell me what it means?” Punam struggled to speak and Gorka, nearly welling up too, comforted her as she said: “I feel like I would have loved to have seen something like this when I was growing up.
"And I guess you just can’t be what you can’t see.” Viewers took to X to share their own emotional response to the performance, with one writing: “I am so glad that Punam got to showcase her culture like that, that performance was amazing.”
Others said: "Punam looks so happy and beautiful I can't believe how much crying I've done" and “That was such a joyful dance! Punam looked beautiful and the pure joy just shone out of her, well done." One added: “Bawled at Punam's dance. So happy for her” and another viewer wrote: “Punam was outstanding! Loved the Bollywood number!”
The performance earned Punam and Gorka 33 0ut of 40. The show's return to the screens has been warmly welcomed by viewers looking forward to some glitz on dark nights.
And its hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman welcomed back the remaining celebrities - including the likes of JB Gill, Tasha Ghouri and Shayne Ward - to the dance floor which was vacated last week by Olympian Tom Dean and his professional dancing partner Nadiya Bychkova, who were the first to leave the show following a dance-off with Toyah Wilcox and Neil Jones.
In further Strictly news, the result of this week's Movie Week show was apparently leaked online in a spoiler following Saturday evening's performances, which caused huge reaction. The results show, with verdicts from judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, can be seen on BBC1 this Sunday at 7.15pm.
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