Strictly Come Dancing took a poignant turn as one of its stars made history on the show.
The glamorous BBC One programme returned to screens on Saturday (October 5) for its Movie Week special, with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman welcoming the remaining celebrities to the dance floor.
Following Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova’s departure last week, after losing a dance-off to Toyah Wilcox and Neil Jones, contestants including JB Gill, Tasha Ghouri, and Shayne Ward took to the floor to showcase their skills.
Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke were on hand to offer their critiques. The themed episode saw the famous faces transform into characters from iconic movies, with the professionals opening the show with a Despicable Me-themed group routine.
However, it was Dr. Punam Krisha who made history on the long-running BBC show. Alongside her partner Gorka Márquez, the pair performed the show’s first-ever traditional Bollywood routine, reports the Mirror.
Their Couple’s Choice dance to Bole Chudiyan from the renowned Bollywood film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… left a lasting impression. The judges were visibly moved by their performance, with Motsi Mabuse overcome with emotion despite her initial promise not to “cry.”
As Punam received her glowing feedback, she became tearful during her conversation with Claudia. “Tell me what it means? ” Claudia enquired, with Punam finding it difficult to express herself.
As she was on the brink of tears, Gorka stepped in to comfort her. She managed to share: “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 were completely taken by Punam and Gorka’s remarkable routine. Utilising X, previously known as Twitter, an individual commented: “I am so glad that Punam got to showcase her culture like that, that performance was amazing.”
Another viewer expressed: “Bawled at Punam’s dance. So happy for her.” Meanwhile, a third wrote: “That was SUCH a joyful dance! Punam looked beautiful and the pure joy just shone out of her well done.”
Echoing the sentiment, yet another fan noted: “Punam looks so happy and beautiful I can’t believe how much crying I’ve done.” A fifth admirer remarked: “Punam was outstanding! Loved the Bollywood number!”
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One.