TAKING PIZZA Judges ignore Snog-gate and back Seann to survive

Cheating stars’ Italian takeaway

SHAMED Seann Walsh and Katya Jones were saved by the judges in their first performance since being caught snogging.

The duo look set to stay on the show for at least another week after the four experts gave them a combined score of 28 out of 40 – placing them near the top of the leaderboard.

Some fans claimed Craig Revel Horwood and co went easy on the sheepish pair after high scores for their pizza-themed Charleston.

And the judges were slammed for making no mention of the kissing scandal on last night’s show.

Some viewers even claimed BBC bosses were keen to keep them in the show to boost ratings.

One wrote on Twitter: “So the producers want to keep Seann Walsh in Strictly for some reason.

“That was the most awful, flatfooted effort and the judges basically just said, ‘good try’.”

Another said: “He’s a terrible dancer. The judges kissed his ass.”

A third added: “I think the BBC will be thanking @seannwalsh after tonight. Viewers will be through the roof. Never watched strictly before till now!”

Seann and Katya’s numbers means they are unlikely to be in the bottom two even if they flop in the public vote – though it could still happen in theory. Married Russian IT was billed as the dance of shame – and millions of us tuned in to watch it, writes Felicity Cross.

Seann and Katya’s kiss last weekend became a scandalously compelling gossip juggernaut.

Behind the headlines lies so much hurt and so many lies.

Seeing all that suffering in glorious technicolour can’t have been easy for the couple’s wronged partners.

And for some sitting at home, it was also uncomfortable viewing. dancer Katya, 29, and comedian Seann, 32 – who has since broken up with girlfriend Rebecca Humphries, inset, after she posted a withering character assassination on Twitter – were given a glowing assessment of their Charleston by the judges.

Viewers branded the dance the “least romantic in the world” with insiders claiming producers wanted to tone down the sexy Rumba they had planned after images of their tonsil tennis hit headlines.

“Snog-gate” was ignored by the quartet, while show hosts Tess Daly Seann was all smiles, and when not in the camera’s focus he shared a laugh with Katya.

Tess and Claudia tried to laugh it all off: “Quiet week…just a few headlines.”

Bosses gave them a jovial Charleston so they the and Claudia Winkleman glossed over it besides opening the programme with the joke: “It’s been a quiet week...apart from a few headlines.”

Seann and Katya – compared to Where’s Wally? for their stripy outfits – received a good reaction from the studio audience, but the social media verdict was much more mixed. Some viewers vowed to stand by the pair, but others said they were planning to vote for them to be kicked off before even seeing their dance.

The couple are the latest dance partners to fall victim to the socalled Strictly curse since the reality show hit telly screens in 2004. packed in a number of handsy lifts – and finished with a huge hug.

Darcey praised their “energy” and Seann chuckled his way through the feedback as he and Katya skipped off arm in arm to their first 8 score.

Viewers wanted some sort of contrition but they weren’t getting it.

Vick Hope and Graziano served up the perfect antidote – a sugary sweet quickstep to Diana Ross’ You Can’t Hurry Love.

It was neat and fast – and they were duly rewarded with a solid run of 7s and an 8.

But for me it wasn’t enough to detract from the fact BBC’s schedule showstopper has taken a sinister turn.

Leave the grubbiness to Jeremy Kyle – and let us keep the glitter.