Strictly’s Charles Venn has said his Blackpool performance was “cathartic” after all he has been through on the show.
The actor and his professional partner Karen Clifton have had a rocky time in the BBC competition, ending up in the dance-off three times.
But on Saturday they earned two 9s and two 10s, giving them their highest score so far.
Speaking on spin-off show It Takes Two, Venn said: “It still hasn’t fully sunk in, what transpired on Saturday.
“I’m still in shock, honestly. It was the last thing we expected.”
Venn said the performance was “unadulterated fun” because he and Clifton were celebrating how far they had come and getting to Blackpool Week.
He said: “In truth we always work hard, but it was just the electricity of being in that ballroom and knowing its history – it just gave an extra pep in our step.
“It was cathartic being on that dance floor because everything that we’ve been through leading up to that point, it was a celebration, and we were going to go out in style, if that’s what it took.”
Clifton added: “We’ve been through so many lows. We’ve been beaten up – three dance-offs, 25 club…
“And we were just, like, you know what, we have nothing to lose, we just want to enjoy ourselves.
“We were actually having a party out there.”
Strictly continues on BBC One.