Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips has told nasty trolls to stop criticising Layton Williams ahead of tonight’s final.
Poor Layton has been at the receiving end of some unkind comments and now Arlene has had enough.
She told The Mirror: “Unless the public gets behind Layton, he won’t win, and in many ways I think that’s a tragedy. Because yes, he has danced but the force and the personality that Layton puts into it is his own. Don’t pick on Layton. Don’t pile on hate.”
Layton Williams has an ally in ex Strictly judge Arlene
Arlene was a judge on hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing from 2004 to 2009 but was axed in preference of Alesha Dixon. Clearly Arlene is now a big fan of Layton and his dance partner Nikita Kuzmin.
In fact, Dame Arlene continued: “There is no one I can think of who comes in with an attitude as positive as Layton’s. Whatever he is working on, nothing gets him down. He brings joy into a room and he is a truly beautiful human being. He is one of my favourite all-time people. I have to tell you.
“Am I biased about Layton? Completely. I want him to win. Because Layton has worked very hard for everything he has and everything he does and I can’t imagine one person I know that has worked with him who hasn’t just fallen in love with who Layton is.”
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Not everyone’s a fan
Arlene’s words come hot on the tracks of Strictly pro James Jordan’s thoughts on Layton. The dancer has made it clear that he doesn’t think Layton should even have been invited onto Strictly in the first place.
James said: “Is that what Strictly has come to that we have fully-trained dancers on the show? For me, it’s not what Strictly is supposed to be.”
Meanwhile fellow former pro Brendan Cole hasn’t been wholly positive about the Bad Education actor either.
The Strictly Come Dancing final is on tonight from 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Read more: Axed Strictly Come Dancing star in very blunt dig at the judges.
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