Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks could be 'disqualified' for 'illegal' move as judge fumes

Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal took to the dancefloor this evening to perform a Rumba, but Craig Revel Horwood was left unimpressed

Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks faces calls to be "disqualified" after an "illegal" move on the dancefloor.

During tonight's episode, Pete and his partner Jowita performed a Rumba to Don't Look Back In Anger, which incited a strong reaction from judge Craig Revel Horwood. He labelled the routine "illegal", pointing out to the couple: "And as for the lifts, that is totally illegal."

Craig didn't hold back during his critique, stating: "There were two lifts. One foot should remain on the floor at all times. Of course, a professional would be marked down for that. I think even a disqualification darling, because I think you should follow the rules."

Fellow judge Motsi Mabuse was quick to intervene, reassuring them that disqualification was not on the cards. Craig softened later, acknowledging Pete's dedication as he praised the reality star: "I do like seeing how committed you are to this. I can see very clearly you have been studying and studying and studying."

The BBC competition heated up as it aired another instalment this evening, with the stars and their professional partners eager to dance their way into the following week. Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe took on their Couple's Choice, while Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez graced the floor with a Viennese Waltz, reports the Mirror.

Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin aimed to impress with a Quickstep, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola shook things up with a Samba, and Tasha Ghouri alongside Aljaz Skorjanec showcased a Tango.

Elsewhere, Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell performed Waltz, while Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas took on a Pasodoble. JB Gill and Amy Dowden were geared up for a Jive, with Paul Merson and Karen Hauer were hoping to sizzle with a Samba.

Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu glided through an American Smooth. Following a tumultuous week, Wynne Evans and Katya Jones were aiming to impress with their Quickstep.

The week has been marred by controversy for Wynne and Katya after an "inside joke" backfired spectacularly. A clip showing an interaction between Wynne and Katya went viral on social media, with fans suggesting she appeared uncomfortable.

However, the professional dancer has since refuted claims of discomfort, explaining it was all in jest. An emotional Wynne expressed his devastation regarding the public's response to the incident.

On Monday, he shared: "I'm absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day. It's not nice to live in that time, but basically Katya and I are really, really close and we're really good friends, and on Saturday night we made a stupid joke. It was a stupid joke that went wrong, OK? We thought it was funny. It wasn't funny. It has been totally misinterpreted."

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One