Holby City star risks tearing her blue dress or falling on her face after long length of material gets caught on her shoe heel during energetic cha cha.
STRICTLY Come Dancing hopeful Chizzy Akudolu was praised by viewers tonight for recovering from a dangerous wardrobe malfunction - after her blue dress got caught on the heel of her shoe.
The Holby City star, 43, was dancing the cha cha with Russian partner Pasha Kovelev when, halfway through, her floaty outfit threatened to trip her up.
The stretchy, figure-hugging dress - adorned with sparkly panels - was in serious danger of ripping and spoiling the performance.
Luckily Chizzy - labelled a "sassy lady" by Darcey Bussell - managed to keep going and the garment eventually unhooked itself.
And her enthusiasm and technique left the judges very impressed, with Bruno Tonioli getting to his feet as he paid her compliments.
He gushed: "You have great rhythm and a great sense for the music so well done."
She ended up getting a very respectable 21 out of 40, well ahead of leader board trailers Ruth Langsford and Brian Conley, who both got 16.
But Chizzy didn't let the happy moment get in the way of an important task.
After her performance, Chizzy sent a touching tribute to "good mate" John Michie, a Holby City and Corrie actor whose daughter was found dead at Bestival.
After talking to the judges, Chizzy told Claudia Winkleman: "Can I just say real quick, big love to John Michie and all his family.
“From all the Holby family, we’re all thinking of you.”
The tribute got a round of applause in the studio, and the judges liked Chizzy’s dance too – particularly Bruno, who said he “loved” her and her hip action.
Fans of the BBC contest were equally enamoured with Chizzy and saluted her for not being phased by her dress problem.
Some fans also noticed that Chizzy had a "flesh-coloured strip" sewn on to her dress to conceal her cleavage and perhaps ward off further wardrobe malfunctions.
Elsewhere on the show, Aston Merrygold came top of the leader board with an amazing 31, and Rev Richard Coles was labelled the "new Ed Balls" after throwing mind-boggling moves on the dance floor.
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