SHEER PERFECTION
Rose breaks Strictly record for quickest top score – and pop star Ed’s among her fans
SHE has already made Strictly history as the dance show’s first deaf contestant.
And Rose Ayling-Ellis continued to smash records on Saturday – becoming the first star ever to score a perfect 40 so early in the competition.
The EastEnders actress and her professional partner Giovanni Pernice bewitched the judges with their ice queen-themed tango, causing Craig Revel Horwood to ask: ‘What’s the signing for “you smashed it?”’
And they weren’t the only ones singing the pair’s praises as Ed Sheeran, whose track Shivers they danced to, also showed his support.
Appearing in a video message on the BBC show, the singer said: ‘I hope you have a wonderful rest of the season and I hope you win and I’m really, really honoured that you’re dancing to [Shivers].’
Pernice was in tears as the judges gave four perfect tens, having topped the leaderboard in every Halloween special since 2015.
And it wasn’t just a win for Miss Ayling-Ellis on the dancefloor – as the use of sign language in her routine the week before saw Google searches for the topic soar.
She wrote on Twitter: ‘Thank you so much for all of your interest in learning BSL [British Sign Language]. I cannot believe the Google search for learning sign language has increased by 488 per cent. Amazing!’ Yet the Halloween special wasn’t all fright on the night for some – as Judi Love became the latest to be eliminated from the competition.
The Loose Women panellist, who missed a week after testing positive for Covid, failed to impress with a cha-cha that placed her second from bottom of the leaderboard.
The 41-year-old, who was paired with Graziano Di Prima, found herself in the dance off for a third time.
But it was far from third time lucky – as the judges unanimously chose to save Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty instead.