EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal has opened up about the emotional toll of landing in the dance-off on Strictly Come Dancing for two consecutive weeks, admitting she was left “crushed” and nearly broke down after the latest results show. The soap star, who plays Suki Panesar on BBC One’s EastEnders, appeared alongside her professional dance partner, Julian Callion, on Tuesday’s (21 October 2025) episode of It Takes Two, hosted by former Strictly contestant Fleur East, to discuss their challenging experience.
Balvinder candidly shared her disappointment, saying, “My heart just sank. I felt quite disappointed. I thought we’d done enough to come back after the week previous, where we were, again, bottom two. Yeah, I was crushed.” Fleur, who competed on Strictly in 2022, empathized with Balvinder’s feelings, noting, “Yeah, it is such a crushing feeling.”
Julian, making his debut as a professional dancer on the show, explained how he supported Balvinder during the tense moment when the results were announced. “To be honest, I didn’t really say much because we’d actually just been in there seven days ago,” he said, as reported by Wales Online. “I think in those situations where it’s high pressure, it’s high stress, sometimes the more you say and the more you try to think, the worse it is.” He added confidently, “I definitely don’t think we were there based on dance ability or anything.”
The duo faced off against rugby star Chris Robshaw and his partner Nadiya Bychkova in the elimination showdown, with both couples receiving the fewest public votes. In a dramatic turn, the judges opted to save Balvinder and Julian, with Craig Revel Horwood casting the deciding vote under a new rule that prevents head judge Shirley Ballas from having the final say every week.
When asked by Fleur how it felt to be saved by Craig, Balvinder didn’t hold back in expressing her gratitude. Known for his sharp critiques and low scores, Craig surprised the actress by praising her “quality” and “technical ability” in the dance-off. “Oh, I mean, I am so grateful to Craig, actually,” Balvinder said, delivering a heartfelt message to the judge. “He’s one of the scariest judges, I think. But, Sunday night, he saved us, and I can’t thank him enough.”
Balvinder’s emotional admission and fiery gratitude toward Craig have sparked buzz among Strictly fans, as the actress continues to fight for her place in the competition with Julian by her side.