EXCLUSIVE: Strictly Come Dancing returned for Musicals Week as one celebrity will soon be crowned the winner and lift the Glitterball Trophy

Judi James shared her expert knowledge on the remaining couples as we edge ever closer to the final.

The body language expert suggested Strictly Come Dancing star Montell Douglas and her dance partner Johannes Radebe looked to be having an “emotional crisis” on Saturday night.

The dancing duo, who have been in the dance-off three times, captivated audiences with their sultry Rumba to I’m Here from The Colour Purple but the pair looked “defeated”, Judi claimed.

Speaking exclusively to BetMGM, Judi told Express Online: “When Johannes arrived on stage at the start of the show the tension looked palpable in his facial expression.

“His smile involved so much effort that his lips were pulled right back, baring his teeth and his gums. Teeth-baring like this is not a smile, more a signal of distress of desire to challenge. His teeth also looked clenched and his nose was wrinkled with no sign of a smile in his eyes.

Strictly Come Dancing star facing ‘crushing’ defeat (Image: BBC)

“Johannes is such an amazing dancer and usually he is very much a Strictly ‘character’, one of the most popular on the team. But rictus smiles like this look so far removed from his normal calm, upbeat persona.”

She continued: “His intensity and dedication to Montell is undimmed though and his sole focus seems to be developing her as a potential winner. His mesmerising eye contact with her during rehersals make his training look almost as though it involves hypnotism.

His expression of intense concern as she spoke about trying to come back from three dance-offs looked genuinely tragic.”

Meanwhile, Judi noted Montell looked as if her “spirit was crushed”.

Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe performed a Rumba on Strictly (Image: BBC)

She said: “Her anxiety was visible from her thumb-rubbing and toe-curling as she spoke. Her lower teeth were exposed before she sucked her lips inward in an expression of deep regret, followed by a lower lip jut that suggested the same.

“Johannes and Montell seem to be suffering an emotional crisis. Being in the dance-off three times seems to have crushed Montell’s spirit and produced body language signals of an expectation of defeat.”

Montell and Johannes Radebe scored 32 out of 40 after dancing a Rumba last night, but some Strictly viewers claimed the pair were “set up to fail”.

A Strictly viewer wrote on X, formerly called Twitter: “Perhaps like Shayne and Jamie they are setting up Montell and Johannes to go. I don’t believe for one minute it’s the votes.”

A second person agreed, saying: “I fear they are setting Montell up here with a Rumba.”

Another tweeted: “That was a horrible song choice for a Rumba. That’s why Montell’s Rumba looked too slow for me. The producers are setting her up for a fall putting her in the death slot as well.”

During Sunday night’s results show, Montell ended up in the bottom two alongside Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec.

The decision was in the judges’ hands, and Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke unanimously voted to save Tasha and Aljaz, ensuring their continuation in the competition.

Montell was in tears following the results show as she went on to praise her dance partner Johannes.

It comes after the Olympian survived another dance-off last weekend.