It Takes Two fans call for change to Pro Challenge as Strictly judge Shirley Ballas faces backlash
A different show judge oversees the challenge every year
Strictly Come Dancing‘s 2025 Pro Challenge is officially underway, with the pro dancers’ fight to land a Guinness World Record currently airing on BBC Two spin-off show It Takes Two.
This year, the pro dancers have been tasked with performing as many samba whisks as they can in 30 seconds. Dianne Buswell, Alexis Warr, Johannes Radebe and Aljaz Skorjanec have all taken part previously, with Julian Caillon trying his luck tonight (December 2).
It Takes Two Pro Challenge 2025 – the samba whisk
The competition is overseen by a different Strictly judge each year. And, this year, it’s the turn of head judge Shirley Ballas. No stranger to unfair backlash, Shirley has come in for some criticism from It Takes Two viewers.
They have noticed that Shirley can’t help but giggle during the world record attempt, and has even spoken to the dancers as they’re trying to complete their challenge.
As a result, some have called for a different judge to oversee it going forward.
“Keep those legs going,” Shirley encouraged Julian tonight. “Come on, you’re doing good.”
She then added to the adjudicator: “He’s got a nice little bounce going on.”
“I’m trying, I’m trying,” Julian responded, before speeding up as Shirley started cackling and declare: “Oh, he’s going for it!”
‘It does not work with Shirley’
“Please can Craig [Revel Horwood] or Anton [Du Beke] be the judge on the Pro Challenge!!??” asked one.
“It does not work with Shirley, she was laughing when shouldnt be.”
Another commented: “I wish Shirley wouldn’t talk to the dancers during the It Takes Two Pro Challenge. It must be so distracting for them, and it takes from the tension for the viewers.”
“Shirley! Stop giggling!” another posted.
Pro Challenge leaderboard revealed
Tonight on It Takes Two, after Julian took part in the Pro Challenge, host Fleur East revealed the results.
She revealed that Julian completed 31 samba whisks. However, as he whooped, she warned him not to be so quick to celebrate – as he’d had them all disqualified!
We call that karma, Julian, after laughing at Dianne Buswell’s score of 2!
Currently, Johannes Radebe sits at the top of the leaderboard with 25 samba whisks. Julian is at the bottom with 0.
Kai Widdrington won the challenge last year, with Lauren Oakley scooping the Guinness World Record in 2023. But with a long way to go, who will be emerge victorious this year?
You can keep up with all the latest on It Takes Two, weeknights at 6.30pm on BBC Two
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