Bobby Brazier has been hailed as ‘King of the Ballroom’ after scoring a near-perfect 38 in Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-final.
The EastEnders actor, 20, and his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell, 34, wowed the judges with their performance in the penultimate round of the show.
Bobby and Dianne performed a Quickstep to Mack The Knife by Bobby Darin and a Pasodoble to Run Boy Run by Woodkid – but his grandmother Jackiey Budden was noticeably missing from a compilation of video messages amid a bitter family feud.
Head judge Shirley Ballas proclaimed Bobby was the ‘King of the Ballroom’.
Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – fans were quick to share Shirley’s sentiment as they praised the soap star.
Bobby Brazier has been hailed as ‘King of the Ballroom’ after scoring a near-perfect 38 in Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-final
The EastEnders actor, 20, and his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell , 34, wowed the judges with their performance in the penultimate round of the show (pictured Shirley Ballas)
One wrote: “#KingOfTheBallroom Wow!! Amazing dance feel proud myself well deserved 10’s from Shirley and Anton”
Another proclaimed Bobby’s mother Jade Goody – who died in 2009 aged just 27 after a battle with cancer – would be watching over him.
They wrote: ‘OMG #bobby brazier your Mum #Jade has just wi ped away a tear watching you dance. Take a bow young man.’
For their second performance, Bobby and Dianne executed a Pasodoble and in their video tape watched messages of support from the actors’ family.
While his uncle, other grandmother and dad Jeff sung his praises, Jackiey was noticeably missing.
His dance won praise from the judges once again.
Shirley said: ‘I can’t cope, it was proud, it was grand, you were down the lens and you kept the atmosphere going. You had some beautiful shapes in there.’
Anton Du Beke said: ‘It was magnificent what I loved is that you stayed in their performance.’
For their second performance, Bobby and Dianne executed a Pasodoble and their performance won praise once agan
The couple managed to score a total of 35 for their second dance
Bobby and Dianne got emotional watching a series of good luck messages from his family and friends
Bobby’s grandmother Jackiey Budden was noticeably missing from a compilation of video messages amid a bitter family feud
Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – fans were quick to share Shirley’s sentiment as they praised the soap star
The Strictly Come Dancing judges were all thrilled with their performance
Craig Revel Horwood thought their routine was ‘a bit square’ but gave them a score of eight
Craig Revel Horwood complained the dance was ‘a bit square’ but reasoned he can see how ‘hard’ he was worked throughout his time on the show and Motsi believes that the soap star has ‘peaked’ at the right time.
In the end, the pair scored 35 for their second dance.
Bobby was up against Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach, West End performer Layton Williams and tennis star Annabel Croft to win a place in the final. The three finalists will be confirmed in Sunday’s result show.
It comes one day after revealed that one of Bobby’s biggest supporters, his grandmother, has been kept away from the Strictly audience over a heartbreaking family rift.
Ahead of his second performance, Bobby was sent a series of good luck messages from friends and family.
His dad Jeff Brazier had said that getting to the son would be the ‘best Christmas present’ – but his grandmother was nowhere to be seen.
Because of a falling-out with Bobby’s father, Jeff Brazier, his maternal grandmother Jackiey has been unable to secure a seat at any of this series’ live shows.
Poignantly, it meant she missed his emotional tribute to his late mother – and her only child – Jade Goody a fortnight ago.
Friends of the family said Jackiey and Jeff, who has looked after the boys since Jade’s death in 2009, fell out some years back and have not been able to repair their relationship.
Only last week, the 66-year-old described the TV presenter, who has been attending the shows at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire with youngest son Freddy, as a ‘c**k’.
But sources say that Jackiey is desperate to make peace so that she might be able to get a ticket to watch her grandson in next week’s Strictly final if he gets through the semis.
Because of a falling-out with Bobby’s father Jeff Brazier, Jackiey has been unable to secure a seat at any of the live shows (Bobby and Dianne are pictured on the show)
Poignantly, it meant that she missed his emotional tribute to his late mother – and her only child – Jade Goody a fortnight ago (Jade and Jeff are pictured in August 2002)
Contestants are given only two seats for their friends and family, though more can be allocated in special circumstances.
One friend told the Mail: ‘Jeff and Jackiey haven’t got on for a long time and it has been hard.
‘It has meant that Jackiey hasn’t been able to be in the audience to watch Bobby, things are just too bad between her and his father. He and his brother Freddy are her only grandchildren and she adores them, there is nothing she would love more than to be there to watch him live.
‘Jeff has been a brilliant father to those boys and has tried to navigate through many difficulties. It is a very, very sad situation. There is nothing Jackiey would like more than to go to the final but there is very little chance of that.’
In September Jackiey was forced to pay for her own ticket to watch Bobby, 20, pick up the rising star award at the National Television Awards.
Jeff has put the fall-out down to Jackiey buying the two boys inappropriate presents such as phones and even a hamster which he has had to confiscate or give back.
In 2021, Bobby confirmed in an Instagram video that he was back in contact with his grandmother after losing touch.
He said: ‘I didn’t see her for ages – for way too long – but I went to see her twice recently. And honestly if there’s one woman you shouldn’t underestimate, it’s my nan. Honestly, she’s like a wizard! It’s nuts.’
Meanwhile, Bobby told the Mail how he was inundated with letters following his tribute dance to his mother.
He said: ‘There’s been a lot (of letters). I haven’t opened or read a lot of them but I’ve seen there’s been a lot of people writing.
‘We connected to a lot of people and communicated and translated something and that’s what I wanted to do. I think that’s what happens when you dance authentically and from your heart. I’m really glad that that happened.’