Graeme Hall fought back tears on Strictly Come Dancing after viewers saved him from Halloween week’s dance-off.
For the first time ever, Sunday’s dance-off saw three couples battle it out to avoid elimination. In the end, it was Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystał who were sent home.
Speaking on Sunday’s results show, he said his next routine would explore his stroke in 2019.
His professional partner Lauren Oakley supported him as he became emotional after thanking those who voted for them.
Graeme told viewers: “I went out and danced the best I could, but the judges weren’t so keen. So thank you very much at home if you voted for us. You’ve saved my bacon and I can’t thank you enough from the bottom of my heart.”
He became choked up as Lauren placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.
Graeme Hall reveals the story behind his next Strictly dance
The pair finished Saturday’s Halloween show at the bottom of the leaderboard, but the public vote kept them safe.
That means they can now perform a Couple’s Choice with a deeply personal story behind it.
Lauren explained that the routine would reveal a softer side to Graeme, following performances built around different characters.
Graeme described the health scare and its lasting impact: “Yeah, there’s a side that I haven’t really told people about. I had a stroke in 2019. I managed to recover fully, but my life changed completely. So, we’ll be telling a little bit about that story next week.”
Graeme Hall’s return to dancing after his stroke
In August, he revealed he had stopped his dance hobby after the stroke.
At the time, he explained that the stroke led to the discovery of a hole in his heart. He underwent an operation before returning to the dance floor for Strictly.
Before his health problems, Graeme had competed in ballroom and Latin dancing between 2013 and 2019.
Outside the ballroom, he is known for his dog-training work and television programme Dogs Behaving Badly.
Lauren Oakley’s support for Graeme Hall on Strictly
Graeme and Lauren’s partnership has already faced some difficult moments away from the live performances.
Earlier in the series, Graeme spoke about an emotional struggle during rehearsals, while praising their determination to keep going.
Lauren acknowledged that she had pushed him beyond his comfort zone, but praised his progress.
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday, November 7 from 6.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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