Super sub Kelvin high-kicks to glory
Emmerdale star who only stepped in as a late replacement lands Strictly crown
HE ONLY joined as a last- minute replacement but last night Kelvin Fletcher was crowned Strictly champion after his toned physique and snake hips won him legions of admirers. The 35-year-old former Emmerdale actor came on to the show after Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing pulled out due to injury. But although unheralded, Kelvin immediately established his dance credentials with his professional partner Oti Mabuse.
Together they dazzled in the final, seeing off stiff competition from EastEnders actress Emma Barton and her partner Anton du Beke, and children’s TV presenter Karim Zeroual and Amy Dowden. An estimated ten million viewers tuned in for the live show as the three couples reprised two routines from the series and displayed a brand new showdance to decide who would claim the coveted Glitterball trophy.
Kelvin and Oti, 29, performed a rumba to Bill Withers’s Ain’t No Sunshine and a routine to Shout
‘The way that he embraced the world of dance was incredible’
by the Isley Brothers. Despite having no previous dance experience, father-of-two Kelvin delivered some of the standout performances of the series.
Choreographer and former Strictly judge Arlene Phillips said last night: ‘The way Kelvin embraced the world of dance was absolutely incredible. He and Oti were a fabulous partnership.
‘It has been incredible to watch the rise of someone who just stepped in and was firing on all cylinders each and every week.’
Her only criticism was that ‘for my particular taste he is overly sexy’.
Top West End theatre producer and Strictly devotee Nica Burns said: ‘I think people are inspired by people who start from ground zero. That is why they love Kelvin so much.
‘He stepped in and within ten minutes he was making his mark. The journey he has come on has been absolutely amazing. He is a real natural.’
The outcome of the final will be particularly welcomed by those fans who were concerned that Karim had an unfair advantage because he had appeared in stage musicals including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Lion King as a child actor.
Kelvin’s brooding presence made him the undisputed sex symbol of this year’s competition. Over the past three months he and Oti delivered a series of erotically charged routines.
The couple’s palpable chemistry on the dancefloor fuelled speculation that they had become close offstage too – but last night any rumours of a supposed affair were dismissed as ‘beyond nonsense’. Kelvin has won a following among men and women alike. One friend, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Every morning on his way to his training in Manchester, he had to walk past a large building site where builders would come up to him and tell him how much they loved his dance at the weekend, which was all quite a shock for him.
‘He would stay and chat with them for a while.’
The win will only serve to increase Kelvin’s profile after he established himself played Andy Sugden in Emmerdale before quitting the soap in 2016.
One showbusiness insider said: ‘Kelvin has pulled in an all-new Middle England fan base, and a large number of offers have already been made to him.
‘His popularity is no longer confined to the sort of viewers who watch Emmerdale. He is going to make a great deal of money precisely because older women now find him sexy.’
Ms Burns – the boss of the Nimax Theatre chain of six West End venues – said Strictly had brought Kelvin to the attention of stage producers.
She said: ‘The programme has opened up a lot of doors for Kelvin. People like me are looking at him very differently. We know that Strictly can make stars in other areas.’
Last night’s live final was the culmination of a successful run which defied initial fears. Critics
‘Older women now find him sexy’
had dismissed the 15-strong amateur line-up as being low on star power when the latest series was launched in the autumn. But ratings boomed, with the programme regularly pulling in audiences in excess of nine million.
New Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse – Oti’s sister – who took over from Dame Darcey Bussell, also proved a hit with viewers.
The show’s success was in stark contrast to the dire performance of ITV’s prime-time rival The X Factor, which recorded some of its lowest ever audience figures this year.
Strictly’s winner is chosen by public vote, but the judges scored the routines for guidance. Karim and Amy topped the leaderboard with 119, Kelvin and Oti came second with 118, and Emma and Anton came third with 116.