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 the Strictly Come Dancing champion after his toned physique and snake hips won him legions of admirers. The 35-year-old 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 partner Oti Mabuse.
Together they dazzled in the final, seeing off competition from EastEnders actress Emma Barton and Anton du Beke, and children’s TV presenter Karim Zeroual and Amy Dowden.
Moments after winning, Kelvin said: ‘I’m absolutely speechless. I did not expect that. I think this show represents everything that is amazing with this country.’
Oti, 29, added: ‘I’ve been on the show for five years and I have never met any celeb who gives his heart so much. If something’s not working we stay in training and not because he wants to win but because he genuinely, genuinely loves dancing. And, for me, that is the best gift and the best ending to the year.’
Losing finalist Anton was also full of admiration, tweeting afterwards: ‘Hats off!! You danced magnificently, not just tonight but every week.’
An estimated ten million viewers tuned in for the live show as the three couples reprised two routines from the series and performed a brand new showdance to decide who would claim the coveted Glitterball trophy.
Kelvin and Oti’s performances included a rumba to Bill Withers’s Ain’t No Sunshine and a routine to Shout by the Isley Brothers. Despite having no previous dance experience, fatherof-two Kelvin delivered some of the stand-out performances of the series. Choreographer and former Strictly judge Arlene Phillips said: ‘The way Kelvin embraced the world of dance was 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 overtly sexy’. Top West End theatre producer Nica Burns said: ‘I think people are inspired by people who start from ground zero. That is why they love Kelvin.’
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.
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.’
The win will only serve to increase Kelvin’s profile after he established himself playing Andy Sugden in Emmerdale before quitting the soap in 2016.
One showbusiness insider said: ‘Kelvin has pulled in an all-new Middle Britain 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.’
Critics had initially dismissed the 15-strong amateur line-up as being low on star power but ratings boomed, with the programme regularly pulling in audiences in excess of nine million.
The success was in stark contrast to the dire performance of ITV rival The X Factor, which recorded some of its lowest ever viewing figures.