Len Goodman has denied recent claims that BBC One producers fixed the latest Strictly Come Dancing dance-off result so that Peter Andre could remain in the competition. It comes after former contestant Jamelia insisted that Peter's standing ovation at the weekend was engineered, while departing dancer Ola Jordan also accused the judges of "under marking" certain performers.But speaking on spin-off show It Takes Two on Wednesday, Len was determined to set the record straight.
© Photo: Getty ImagesStrictly judge Len Goodman has responded to claims the show has been fixed
"When it comes to the dance-off before we go on we are told by producers, 'Just mark what you see with this dance'. It's nothing to do with expectations or what they've done in the past, it's just that dance," he told host Zoe Ball. "I thought Peter in the dance-off did dance a little bit better (than on Saturday's show), so I can well understand the other judges went for Peter, and I still felt Jamelia was better, but that doesn't make me right and it doesn't make them wrong."
Jamelia lost out in the dance-off to Peter Andre
He also strongly denied claims that the judges are given guidelines on scoring the celebrities. "11 years I’ve done the show, never once has a producer come up to me and said, 'mark so and so a bit higher'. They never interfere with our integrity, we're not scripted, we just come out, say what we see and give a score," he explained. "I totally understand, I know sometimes I'll give someone a seven and millions of people won't agree with me, but it's all about taste. I like brussels sprouts, you don't – it doesn't make us right or wrong, it's taste. And that's how dancing is. "He concluded: "I hope we can draw a line under this now, because it is such a fantastic series."
