NXT ‘Absolutely flawless…’: Strictly’s Lewis Cope makes history with the first perfect 40 of the series — as his haunting Halloween dance leaves judges speechless, Shirley Ballas in tears… and fans calling it “one of the greatest moments ever” on the show…
STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Lewis Cope scored the first perfect 40 of the series tonight for a spellbinding Halloween routine.
The ex-Emmerdale actor, 30, and Katya Jones, 36, danced a Couple’s Choice routine to Radiohead’s Creep, and host Tess Daly branded it a “knockout” moment.
The judges agreed, with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke all raising their 10 paddles.
Anton called it the best dance of the series by a “million miles”, adding: “There is nothing you could have done to that dance to make it any better. It was A-mazing.”
Craig said: “I like that – and because it’s Halloween, darling, we’ll call it a Halloween spooktacular!”
Motsi insisted the routine would stand the test of time and predicted they’d be reflecting on it five years from now.
Blown away, head judge Shirley Ballas was moved to tears after hearing Lewis’s emotional back story.
In the VT before his performance, Lewis recalled growing up in Hartlepool with his 13 siblings, five of which are boxers, and leaving home as a teen to star in Billy Elliot in the West End.
The hunk took the high score in his stride beaming behind the exaggerated Joker smile etched on his face by the talented Strictly make-up team.
Viewers raved about the routine, with one writing on X: “Absolutely brilliant dance by Lewis in Trump mathematics that was definitely a 12 out of 10.”
Another gushed: “Aaaaaah! WHAT A COUPLES CHOICE! THAT WAS EVERYTHING!.”
While a third said: “Lewis, omfg that was Hollywood, absolutely world class.”
Earlier tonight, we exclusively revealed how Lewis’s girlfriend isn’t batting an eyelid about his sizzling chemistry with Katya.
The former soap star, who played Nicky Miligan in Emmerdale, has been dating his stunning pilates instructor girlfriend Rachel Maya Lopez for seven years.
And his same sex romps in soapland have set her mind at ease.
He said: “Over the years I’ve had to kiss a lot of people on stage or onscreen, as an actor, so she’s used to me kissing boys actually, but it hasn’t been a problem.
“Katya and Rachel have all met. It’s never been a conversation between us.”
He added: “Rachel has supported me all the way, she is my biggest supporter, she sends me into rehearsals with a packed lunch, she really looks after me.
“Just before I got onto the show, we managed to get a holiday with just the two of us, she booked us a studio, and she was getting me moving. She is fantastic and amazing.”
Lewis revealed that he’s grateful to be partnered with Russian-born Katya.
He said: “Katya may have been on the show for 10 years, but it’s like it’s her first year. She is amazing with the choreography, but she is also such a bright energy.
“Nothing is ever a problem, even if I am struggling with something, she always finds a way of making it work.
“She is patient and she doesn’t have a massive ego, she is adaptable with me and tries to make things work.
“What you see on a Saturday night is not what is going on during the week at all.
“I have so much trust in her, she is coming up with the ideas and concepts, I know that what she is putting out there is the best we can do.”
Hartlepool lad Lewis, who was the first contestant this series to receive a 10 last month (Oct) has come under fire for having dance experience, but he explained it was when he was a child.
He said: “Dance classes are more accessible in towns like Hartlepool, than singing or acting. It was the gateway into the industry. I didn’t train professionally as a dancer, I just danced as a child.”
