Strictly Come Dancing fans and judges were left stunned after Karen Carney delivered an electrifying paso doble with professional partner Carlos Gu on Saturday night’s episode (November 22). The routine, performed to the dramatic and iconic score O Fortuna, quickly became one of the standout moments of the Blackpool special. But despite near-universal praise, the pair narrowly missed a perfect score of 40 — and viewers didn’t hesitate to voice their frustration online.

The performance saw 38-year-old Karen and 32-year-old Carlos lean fully into the intensity of the paso doble, with sharp lines, powerful footwork and striking theatricality. As they joined host Tess Daly by the judges’ table, the entire Blackpool Tower ballroom erupted in applause, echoing the high-energy atmosphere that Strictly’s Blackpool week is famous for (BBC Strictly Archives).

“That was superb!” Tess declared, beaming at the couple. Craig Revel Horwood, known for his demanding standards, even opened with praise: “Darling, that’s how you score a goal, that’s for sure. Insane!”

However, as is tradition, Craig attempted to offer a critique — but couldn’t get a word in. The moment he began with, “I would have liked a little bit of…”, the ballroom exploded into boos. The audience, the celebrities, the pros, and even Craig’s fellow judges drowned him out, refusing to let the mood dip. Viewers have seen similar moments before, especially during Blackpool week when the crowd’s enthusiasm is at its peak (Radio Times analysis of Strictly live shows).

Karen and Carlos gave an amazing performance (Credit: BBC)

Craig eventually managed to voice a minor note of feedback, though it was almost impossible to hear. Still, he ultimately returned to praise, calling the performance “passionate” and telling Karen she was “absolutely incredible.”

Motsi Mabuse was visibly moved. “I do not have a paddle that, in any way, can express how good that dance was!” she said, continuing the theme of overwhelming praise.

Head judge Shirley Ballas applauded Carlos for choreography “of the highest competitive quality” — a significant compliment from one of the world’s most respected Latin dance coaches (ITV Entertainment Profiles). She then added: “I’ve never seen a paso doble like that.”

Anton Du Beke, meanwhile, was equally impressed. “When you come to Blackpool, bring your best,” he said. “This was an absolute tour de force. Extraordinary.”

But when it came time for scoring, a familiar Strictly narrative unfolded. Craig awarded a nine, while Motsi, Shirley, and Anton each gave a perfect 10. The near-miss left Karen and Carlos with 39 out of 40 — an exceptional result, yet just shy of Strictly’s most coveted mark.

Fans immediately took to social media to express their disbelief.

“Craig should have given Karen a 10,” one viewer fumed on X (formerly Twitter), mirroring hundreds of similar comments that appeared within minutes of the broadcast.

Another wrote: “Craig Revel Horwood giving Karen Carney and Carlos Gu only a 9 for that performance is absolute insanity, honestly.”

“With a dance like that, Karen & Carlos deserve those 10s!!!! Just Craig spoiling the perfect 40 possibility,” another fan posted.

Others were even more dramatic: “Craig scoring Karen a 9 is an abomination!!”

Even so, many viewers used the moment to highlight Karen’s strength in the competition, speculating that she could go all the way. “Yk what, maybe Karen Carney could win this,” one fan predicted. Another declared: “Karen’s dance was the absolute highlight — oh my lord I love her so much.”

The Blackpool special has historically produced some of Strictly’s most memorable routines (The Guardian, Strictly Blackpool retrospective), and Karen and Carlos’s paso doble now seems destined to join that list. Whether or not they claim the Glitterball Trophy, their performance has etched itself into the season’s conversation — and possibly its legacy.