closeicon
News

Edxit means Judge stays in

articlemain

Seeing Judge Robert Rinder and Ed Balls plummet into the dance-off on Sunday evening was a sad experience. After all when it came to entertainment, they absolutely stole the Strictly show.

In the end, it was the former MP who was unanimously voted out by the judges, after delivering a hilarious, tango in the guise of a male model strutting down the catwalk.

And so we have a nice Jewish boy in the quarter-finals, despite his rumba being described by judge Bruno Tonioli as toeing the line between a "dying swan" and a "funky chicken".

Speaking on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two on Tuesday, the TV judge said he didn't mind the criticism. "You can't go around being Judge Rinder and getting upset when people make terse comments," he said. "As long as someone says something with authenticity and honesty, I don't mind."

He promised that next week's routine, a samba to Frankie Valli's Oh What A Night, would mark a triumphant return, saying that he "can't stop bouncing" whenever the music comes on.

What has, perhaps, been most affecting about Judge Rinder's time in the competition is the way he has gradually opened up to the public about the factors that drive his success.

This week, he revealed that his late grandfather, Moishe Malenicky, was a Holocaust survivor. As such, the TV judge said, he felt a responsibility to do him proud.

As for Ed, he'll be back in next year's Strictly tour, alongside actress Lesley Joseph. But for now, we must wish him farewell. After all, Edxit means Edxit.

Share via

Want more from the JC?

To continue reading, we just need a few details...

Want more from
the JC?

To continue reading, we just
need a few details...

Get the best news and views from across the Jewish world Get subscriber-only offers from our partners Subscribe to get access to our e-paper and archive