Strictly Come Dancing 2016: Ed Balls and Katya Jones future in doubt after 'horrific' lift during week 5

Judge Craig Revel Horwood called it the 'antithesis of smooth'

Every week, former Labour MP Ed Balls takes to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom floor, and every week the British public vote him through unanimously.

However, his future on the BBC show looks in serious danger after his American Smooth to “(Is This The Way To) Amarillo” failed to impress judges thanks to one particularly dodgy lift.

A minute into the routine, Balls attempted to raise up Katya Jones, the dancer almost falling from Balls’s shoulder due to his minor instability.

Thankfully, neither contestant was hurt: the same could not be said of the judges who seemed dismayed at the dance.

“I don’t know about the way to Amarillo but that’s the way to entertain,” said presenter Tess Daly following Balls attempting the same lift following the routine finishing.

Judge Craig Revel Horwood was the least complimentary of the dance, calling it the “antithesis of smooth,” adding “it felt like you were fighting one another all the way through. Absolutely no style whatsoever.”

He went on: “This dance, you were allowed to do three lifts in. You did four, three of which I thought you did very good but that horrific one, darling, you didn’t really need to demonstrate because it wasn’t that good.”

The final score for Balls was 18, two points from Craig, four from Bruno, and six from both Darcey and Len.

Viewers were generally mixed about the lift, with Former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party John Prescott writing on Twitter: “Let's get Ed Balls in the bottom two just to make him do that lift again.” Others were more positive.

Find out whether Balls makes it through tonight on BBC One.