Layton Williams in Strictly

[Char65]

I am a big fan of Strictly but I have lost interest in it this year because of Layton Williams as he is a professional dance. His CV reads

2007–2008: Billy Elliot the Musical
2008–2009: Beautiful People
2016: Hairspray the Musical UK Tour - playing Duane
2016-2017: Rent UK Tour - playing Angel
2017-2018: Hairspray the Musical UK Tour - playing Seaweed J. Stubbs
2018-2019: Kiss Me Kate - playing Bill Calhoun/Luciento
2019-2022: Everyone's Talking About Jamie - playing Jamie New

He was also in a Michael Jackson show - and I believe Jackson could dance a bit!

To me its no fair to pitch a pro against amateurs though I accept a lot of actors have also done dance at stage school but not appeared in the West End like this guy! What do others think?

For me it was the first time where I genuinely thought “he wouldn’t have been able to deliver that performance before strictly” whereas every other dance he’s done, it’s felt like he had that ability beforehand.

I still tossed all my votes to Krishnan tho as he is just pure JOY

Agree. Still not voting for him though.😄

I understand where people are coming from but many many previous contestants have essentially been professional dancers (eg Faye from Steps). I somehow doubt the daily mail letters page was fuming over Faye or Denise Van Outen and I'm not sure it's rocket science to work out why that might be... (An older relative gets the DM delivered every day so I have a flick through when I'm there). I can't imagine he'll win as the public won't like his professional background but I think the show is about enjoying dance at whatever level you're at (from Ann Widdicombe to Layton). And I also like the way he's showing there are lots of ways men can dance and dress - very helpful for boys who like a bit of sparkle.

Meh - not bothered, he's good and that's entertaining and the others that struggle are entertaining too for different reasons. I don't think he'll win because he's had previous dancing experience but I will have enjoyed his performances. It's an entertainment show - some people need to lighten up a bit.

Yes, I love most of his dances and admire his talent, and saw videos of him as a kid and found him gorgeous and sweet. Happy for him to get to the final - I watch Strictly for the dancing after all, and he’s one of the two best dancers there, Ellie being the other outstanding talent. But I haven’t voted for him (so far) and that’s purely because he’s a professional dancer and the others aren’t.

(I voted for Faye and Denise in previous years but didn’t know at the time they were a bit ringery.)

I saw Layton in ETAJ and he can MOVE (in six inch heels, FFS. I couldn’t even walk in the shoes he wore in that show). But I agree.
Dancing is literally his job. Nigel Harman also has a background in musical theatre, but not to Layton’s extent.
And yes, people say it’s not the same. He played a ballet dancer in Billy Elliott. It’s not quite the massive stretch they’re trying to convince us of.
I like watching him but I don’t want him to win, and I don’t think he will. It’s too controversial, because he literally sings and dances for a living, whereas Krishnan, for example, has no background whatsoever.

I’m sure he’s not going to be gutted if he doesn’t end up winning the glitterball trophy. The salary for the show and tour will soften the blow if he is though.

Nigel Harman also has a background in musical theatre, but not to Layton’s extent.

He has done much more than Layton

Nigel Harman’s roles have not been dance heavy roles. Layton’s dance training and performing is a world apart from Nigel’s.

Oh sorry I didn't realise the comment was meaning dance I just read it about how many shows they had done

I just love the fact that there’s a gay, camp, gender non-conforming black man in a same sex pairing on prime time Saturday night TV and the only controversy is he’s too good at dancing

100% this.

Adore him and Nikita together.

I don't care that he's a dancer. It makes great TV, he's working just as hard as the others, it's beautiful to watch.

They're all on different journeys and the judges and the public are all taking those things into account with the feedback/votes.

It's not always the technically perfect votes that give someone the feels.

It's an entertainment show on a weekend. Just enjoy it for what it is.

A huge pleasure to see people learning/growing/inspiring others.

And as a parent I'm over the moon that my DC are growing up seeing minority groups being included and celebrated.

It was the thought of this that made his performance even more wonderful tonight. I also loved that Eurovision song they were dancing too.

I also loved that they both wore suits for their Argentine tango tonight. It looked so striking. He’s fabulous in a dress and full makeup too but I just thought that would have been predictable.

Tattoo was a great song to dance to.

He might be a good dancer but at the end of the day it's a personality contest. The Public vote to keep slebs in even if they're not the best dancers. The judges only get to vote on the two receiving the fewest public votes.

And as a parent I'm over the moon that my DC are growing up seeing minority groups being included and celebrated

So much this. Was watching Strictly with DC (one of whom I would be entirely unsurprised if they turn out to be gay) and my PIL (who can be at best pretty conventional and at worst prone to being a bit prejudiced). I was bracing myself a bit for PILs reaction to Layton and Nikita and it turns out they LOVE them, they’re blown away by the performances. It made me so happy.

They should've got 40 tonight, it was a great dance. I love it when a pro has a partnership with a celeb that really seems to tap into something and makes their star rise. Gio had that with Rose and Nikita has it with Layton.

Angela Rippon brought out a ballroom dancing DVD years ago.

I also noticed that she's only been given more gentle dances so far, ie no jive etc. Fixed?

This....

He is obviously one of the biggest ringers there has ever been in Strictly, but I bloody loved his tango last night. While I’ve not got any issue with him wearing skirts etc if he chooses, watching two men in suits dance an Argentine tango at that standard was just hot. He looked comfortable.

i know he won’t win as people don’t usually vote for the consistently best dancer in the strictly final. Ringers aren’t winners I guess. But I’ll be happy to watch his and Nikita’s show dance. It’ll be spectacular.

Felt similar as a mum of a mixed race family. ❤️

Yes!

I thought the choice of music was awful. No way was it suitable for a tango and I found it very distracting to watch a dance which did not fit the music

I didn't mind the music but as they had made such an effort with the staging and costuming to make it a traditional AT, they should have used proper AT music.

I hadn't thought of it like that but you're right. The other stuff never actually crossed my mind at all it's just his Top Ringer status that irks me 😂