The Rise And Fall Of Ed ‘Glitter’ Balls

As many of you avid Strictly fans should know, week 10 saw the departure of the politician Ed Balls and his pro partner Katya Jones, after having lost the dance-off to Judge Rinder and Oksana Platero. Ed’s reception has been somewhat mixed, you either love him or you hate him. I have to admit, I sort of loved the absolute cringe he brought to the dance floor each week. Let’s put it this way, his dances are all so unique that they’re hard to forget easily!

So, here’s a recap of some of Ed’s best and worst moments in the show:

1). ‘The Mask Incident’: Week 3- Samba:

Week 3 gave us a glimpse into how cringy Ed would grow to be when he just refused to break his character of The Mask from the film of the same name. Sure, I get that this was movie week and you’re supposed to put some effort into getting into character but Ed took it one step too far (classic Ed). When he finished the dance, he just wouldn’t stop quoting the film and it left us all rolling our eyes and shouting at the TV. 

2). Week 1- Waltz; Week 7- Quickstep:

Now you’re free to be your own judge but in my opinion, these were two of Ed’s best dances. Of course, they didn’t rival the other contestants in technicality but compared to his other dances, they were high class pieces of art.

3). ‘Halloween Spooktacular’ Week 6- Cha Cha:

I get that this was Halloween, but Ed Balls stroking his groin was a step too far. I think it’s permanently scarred me. And sadly, this wasn’t the only time I wished I could forget the moves of the ‘Glitterballs’.

4). ‘Blackpool’ Week 9- Jive:

HE MADE IT TO BLACKPOOL! They said it wasn’t possible, they said he would fall at the first hurdle but look who’s laughing now! This was definitely one of Ed’s highlights, not because of the dance, or because of the fact the burning piano he was ‘playing’ had no keys, but just purely for the fact that Blackpool Tower Ballroom was graced with his presence. 

5). ‘The Worst Lift in the History of Strictly’ Week 5- American Smooth:

Now, this one will go down in Strictly history. It was the moment where we were all screaming at our TVs, watching from behind our hands. He nearly dropped her. I repeat. He nearly dropped her. It was so close! Thankfully, Ed saved the day but not before he almost grabbed her chest in the effort to help regain her balance. 

Now, there are many more moments I could talk about including his attempt at being a male model and dancing a salsa to Gangnam Style but I feel as though I could go on forever! If this article has left you longing to watch Ed Balls dance again, then feel free to re-watch all of those special, special moments on YouTube!

• BBC
• Strictly Come Dancing