Strictly fix row reignited as pro says he’s ‘gobsmacked’ that overscored couple topped the leaderboard

FORMER Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole says he's "gobsmacked" JB Gill was top of the leaderboard.

The dancer has accused the judges of overmarking the JLS star to get him to the final.

Now he'll face off against Chris McCausland, Tasha Ghouri and Sarah Hadland this weekend.

Giving his verdict on the result, Brendan told : “The judges are judging everybody individually as if they are marking them against themselves rather than others – people are getting the same scores for what I saw as visually very different dances.

"If you compare Tasha [Ghouri] and JB [Gill’s] Salsas, Tasha performed a very good dance – there was an intro and an exit to a lift which were a little bit messy, and they marked her down for that. 

“JB did a Salsa – which was slightly stompy, awkward in places – and he was praised through to the rafters, and he was given four 10's. His Pasodoble was a good number, but it wasn't an amazing Pasodoble.

“Tasha should have been at least – if not four marks ahead on the judges' scorecard – eight marks ahead.

"She wasn't and that changes things, because all of a sudden, she's second on the leaderboard, rather than first, and then she's in the dance-off. If she had been first – where she belonged – perhaps she wouldn't have been in the dance-off and would have been going through to the final with a different mentality. 

“I have no idea why they [the judges] think that JB is such an amazing dancer – I don't see it. He's definitely a great contestant and definitely deserves a final [spot], but he doesn't deserve to be topping the leaderboard in that semi-final.” 

“Likewise, with Chris [McCausland], he was getting nines – he is fantastic in terms of what he's doing – and I've loved watching his time on the show, and he's performed some brilliant numbers.

"However, we're talking about going from the semi-final to a final of a big competition, where it really matters to people and who have put in the best part of four months' work. 

“If you're going to mark numbers fairly, you need to mark it on their merits, not on your feeling over the contestant.

"The markings have to change as for my money Tasha should have been number one by far and Chris should have been bottom.

"If the judges took everything external out of it and judged one by one on their merits, i think it would be a very clear one to five. Tasha, Sarah [Hadland], JB, Pete [Wicks], and then Chris.”

Reflecting on who he would have preferred in the final - and who he thinks will win - Brendan added:

“I would have swapped out Chris McCausland with Pete [Wicks]. Pete was better on the night, and he deserved it a bit more.

"Chris was always going to be in the final – that was fairly clear from early on, even though the dancing didn't improve the way it should. As a journey, Pete had the full spectrum, and that was quite impressive to watch.

“I was a little disappointed that he didn't make the final – even though his dancing doesn't necessarily deserve a place in a final – his journey does more so than anybody else.”

Brendan added: “Chris will take home the Glitterball, the show – for some reason – want JB [Gill] to take it home, but it should be Tasha [Ghouri who wins].

"She has had lots of dance experience, but at the same time, she is really good and some of the stuff she's been doing has been exceptional.

"She has done some of the best dancing that the show has ever seen.”

JB got 79 out of 80 points for his two dances on Saturday night.

That meant he finished top of the leaderboard, followed by Tasha on 75 points, Sarah on 72 points and Chris on 69.

Tasha and Pete Wicks battled it out on the dance off - with the former Towie star getting the axe.