Strictly Come Dancing fans were left fuming tonight after Karen Carney delivered what many are calling the performance of the series—only to be blocked from a perfect 40 by Craig Revel Horwood’s infamous scoring paddle.

The former Lioness, dancing alongside pro partner Carlos Gu, stunned the Blackpool Tower Ballroom with a blistering paso doble to O Fortuna that had the entire venue roaring before the judges even spoke.

But the drama?
That came seconds later.

A performance that brought Blackpool to its feet

Karen, 38, and Carlos, 32, charged through their routine with ferocity, precision, and theatrical flair—earning immediate praise the moment they stepped off the floor.

Tess Daly declared it “superb,” barely able to hide her excitement.

Craig Revel Horwood began strong too, calling the routine “insane” and “a goal scored beautifully”—a cheeky nod to Karen’s football past.

But then he paused.
Took a breath.
And hinted that he had just one criticism.

He didn’t get far.

The Blackpool audience erupted—booing so loudly that the veteran judge was completely drowned out. Even Motsi, Shirley, Anton, and the celebrities in the balcony were laughing in disbelief as Craig attempted to fight through the noise.

Judges blown away: “I’ve never seen a paso like that”

Once the room settled, the praise poured in:

Motsi Mabuse: “I don’t even have a paddle that can express how good that dance was.”

Shirley Ballas: applauded Carlos’ choreography as “top competitive quality” before adding, “I’ve never seen a paso doble like that.”

Anton Du Beke: “When you come to Blackpool, you bring your best—and that was extraordinary.”

The energy in the ballroom was electric. It felt like a history-making moment.

Then came the scores.Everyone was outraged Craig even dared give criticism! (Credit: BBC)

9. 10. 10. 10. And the internet explodes.

Fans were already preparing their celebratory tweets for the show’s second perfect 40 of the series.

But then Craig lifted his paddle: 9.

Gasps.
Groans.
More boos.

And within seconds, Strictly Twitter was at war.

One viewer fumed:
“Craig should have given Karen a 10. End of.”

Another wrote:
“A 9??? For that paso?? Absolute madness.”

A third accused Craig of sabotaging perfection:
“He robbed them of their perfect 40. Nobody can convince me otherwise.”

Many fans even began predicting Karen as a potential winner, calling her routine “the highlight of the entire season.”

A night Karen won’t forget — score or not

Despite the controversy, Karen and Carlos walked away with one of the highest scores of the series—and with the audience firmly in their corner.

Blackpool wanted perfection.
Most of the judges wanted perfection.
The fans definitely wanted perfection.

And whether Craig agrees or not…
Karen Carney just became a serious contender for the Glitterball.