Strictly Come Dancing viewers were deeply touched as the programme broke new ground with a poignant group dance that made history. For the inaugural occasion, a wheelchair user performed alongside Strictly’s professional dancers in what was celebrated as an inspiring routine to Robyn’s With Every Heartbeat.
Among the five fresh faces joining the seasoned professionals Javier Rojas, Kibrea Carmichael, Will Weat, Jaih Betote, and Hannah Raynorit was Hannah, known on Instagram as @hannah_raynor_, who stole the nation’s heart. Hannah’s remarkable performance from her wheelchair not only earned widespread praise from those watching but also ignited a wave of support across social media.
The response from the audience was exceptionally positive, with numerous individuals commending the show for taking a significant stride towards inclusivity on mainstream TV. One viewer expressed their feelings poignantly: “Seeing that dance as a wheelchair user means the whole world – INCLUSIVITY MATTERS.”
Another viewer was visibly affected by the representation, commenting: “Quite emotional at the thought of a young child watching someone with impaired mobility dancing live on #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly. The message it must send them,” as reported by Birmingham Live.
Compliments for the show were abundant, with one viewer commenting: “Nice touch with the wheelchair. #inclusion #visibility #disability #strictly,” and another expressing their motivation by saying: “Watching this fab dance performance on #Strictly. If they can have other people with a disability on the show dancing, then maybe there is hope for me in the future? “.
Emotions ran high among Strictly viewers, as evidenced by one fan who said: “That pro dance was so good i’m crying #Strictly” and another who shared: “Jeez, bawling over this group dance.”
Defying personal preferences, a viewer admitted: “Don’t like contemporary dance but girl in the wheelchair was great. Wondered how much she’d be able to do but it was more than I thought and beautiful,” showcasing the profound impact of the groundbreaking performance.
Another said: “The wheelchair choreography is so inspiring and it fits into the routine seamlessly. Gorgeous,” while another praised: “What a beautiful dance from the pro and moving music! And that dancer on the wheelchair! Super well done.”
A further fan posted: “Seeing a wheelchair user dancing on #Strictly has made me SO happy heheh,” indicating the significance of representation on the dance floor.
In between the waves of joy and tears, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick said goodbye to the competition following his and dance partner Michelle Tsiakkas’ dance-off against Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe.
Despite Jamie’s impeccable performance to Ben E. King’s Stand By Me and high scores from the judges, it wasn’t enough to keep him in the competition, leading to his exit. This decision sparked outrage among some fans who were upset that TOWIE star Pete Wicks had advanced to the next round.
In response to the backlash, Pete took to Instagram, writing: ” Firstly THANK YOU, I never expected to be anywhere near a quarter-final of this show and the fact that I am is purely down to you at home! I’m not sure why you’re voting but I’m so thankful that you are. I have put everything I can in to this for the past 3 months, I’ve thrown myself at it and I feel very blessed to be continuing this rollercoaster with Jowita.
“I’m not a dancer, I’m not a performer, I’m just a bloke trying to get a little bit better each week. I wish I could thank every single one of you individually. Secondly, trust me I know I’m not as good as the rest and I’m sorry for that but I’m trying my best, we all are. I’m just trying to improve and learn as I go.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs each weekend on BBC One.