AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington on Strictly Come Dancing

AJ and Kai were ecstatic over their score (Picture: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 star AJ Odudu has come back fighting with her partner Kai Widdrington after facing the dance-off last week, earning a triumphant perfect score.


Last Saturday, AJ was devastated when she and Kai failed to pull off a lift during their Salsa routine, an unusual slip-up for the couple, who have been strong and consistent contenders throughout the competition.


The TV presenter and her partner ended up landing in the bottom two, with Dan Walker and Nadiya Bychkova being eliminated from the competition.


AJ was determined to have a huge comeback for the semi-final, and that she did as she and Kai performed a spectacular, old school Hollywood-esque Quickstep to Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman.


Before the scores were revealed, judge Anton Du Beke told them that their dance is one he would have loved to perform as a dancer on the show.


Judges Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse were also full of praise, while Shirley Ballas became emotional while delivering her critique.




aj odudu, kai widdrington

The couple made it through the dance-off last week (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)

The couple – who have been surrounded by romance rumours for weeks – were ecstatic over their result, which marks their very first perfect score of 40.


Viewers at home were similarly impressed with the show-stopping dance, with one person tweeting: ‘The screams in our house when AJ and Kai got 40!!!! So happy.’


‘About flaming time AJ gets the recognition she deserves,’ another person wrote.


Someone expressed their hope that the score will help secure the couple’s place in the final, writing: ‘Perfection FINALLY getting perfection, annoyed that it has took Craig so long, but hopefully that eases her way to the final as AJ and Kai deserve that final.’










‘Proper scores for AJ and Kai. Joyous and beautiful. Perfect, ‘another remarked.


AJ and Kai don’t have long to rest, as tonight all the couples are performing two routines each.


For their second dance, the pair will be slowing things down with their Rumba to Maria McKee’s Show Me Heaven.


Only three celebrities and their professional dance partners will be able to proceed to the final stage of the competition next week.


So who will make it past the final hurdle?


The Strictly results show airs tomorrow at 7.20pm on BBC One.