Joe Calzaghe's 'Strictly' fix claims
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Joe Calzaghe has claimed 'Strictly Come Dancing' is "fixed".
The boxing champion - who, with dance partner Kristina Rihanoff, proved popular in their five weeks on the BBC ballroom dancing contest before they were voted off - has alleged producers engineered his exit after he argued with them about dance rival Craig Kelly.
He said: "Don't you think it's odd we went out when we were in the bottom for four weeks and the public kept voting for us?
"We had the highest votes every week, the producers told us. Then all of a sudden we lost out in the judges' vote. Something was up."
Joe, 37, refused to reveal what he'd called the 'Coronation Street' actor but insisted that was why he left.
He said: "It was worse than a swear word. They were really angry with me. So you can say it - 'Strictly Come Dancing' is a fix. We shouldn't have gone out so early."
Joe also said producers were "scared" of upsetting Laila Rouass - who was kept in the competition this week despite only completing half of her routine - because of her race row with professional partner Anton du Beke, whom caused a storm when he referred to her as a "p**i".
A BBC spokesman said Joe's claims were "ridiculous" and "the judges base their opinion on the quality of the dancing."
(C) BANG Media International
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