Vincent Simone ‘backs’ Strictly judges over Nigel Harman scoring

Vincent Simone is an Italian professional dancer, who has appeared as a pro performer on Strictly Come Dancing from 2006 until 2012.

Simone has spoken about the events at the Tower Ballroom Blackpool from last weekend which saw Nigel Harman ‘have a strop’ and Angela Rippon depart the ballroom contest.

Vincent’s comments follow other former professional Strictly dancer Brendan Cole, who appeared on the show from 2004 to 2017, offering advice to Casualty actor Harman;

“If you need to storm off, do it in private, go and have a tantrum or a sulk in your dressing room but then compose yourself, come back out and be a supporter of everybody else doing the show.”

Speaking to to Sky Bingo Cole added, “He [Nigel Harman] will need to be careful because people will only give you one chance. You’ve got to have humility in this little game of show business and you learn that with age, I didn’t have it as a youngster, but I certainly try to have it now and on a show like Strictly you need to pick your moments.”

Harman has been at the receiving end of negative critiques from the ballroom judges on the Beeb dance contest for a number of weeks. The former EastEnders actor was seen storming off the dancefloor following being low-scored and receiving yet further critical comments from the judges, after his performance at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool.

Vincent Simone outlined the mistakes Nigel Harman made in Blackpool and backed the judges’ score of 31 in an interview with ICE36.

“I think the judges scored Nigel appropriately. I thought that his overall score of 31 was fair and all of the dancers were scored fairly. I thought Nigel made a few mistakes.

“I thought he looked a bit weak when he was performing his quick step, especially on a dance floor like the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. I thought he should have eaten the floor with his steps; he should have used his standing foot to push off… you travel more by doing that. He needed more foot pressure so he could have filled the floor more and he needed to bring more energy.”

Noting the dance was far from near perfect, Vincent added;

“Watching him, in my opinion, he made at least two, possibly three mistakes where he went wrong a little bit. He didn’t make big mistakes and, as I’ve said, I think the judges should allow some mistakes if the dance evokes an emotional response, but the mistakes can slow you down and that is what happened with Nigel’s performance. Little mistakes like that can also take your confidence away as a dancer and that is what I saw with his dance. 

Angela Rippon became the eighth celebrity to depart Strictly Come Dancing this weekend as she faced Bobby Brazier in the dance-off. Vincent also pondered the former BBC News host’s departure from the celebrity ballroom battle.

“I think the judges were right to send Angela home, that was definitely the right decision.

“Angela is so beautiful to watch, every time I saw her dance, she put a smile on my face. That is the energy that Angela brought to the show. Whatever she does, she always looks elegant and beautiful. Obviously, we’re at a point in the competition where it is getting more and more difficult. The standard improves every week and there are better dancers than her.

“I think she can be really proud of her performances on the show – she did so well to get this far. Her dance on Saturday night, being lifted up by a gorgeous dancer in Kai Waddingham, she must have been having such a brilliant time every week.”

The remaining six couples will take to the dancefloor again next Saturday (25 November) at 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.