Strictly Come Dancing’s Harry Aikines-Aryeetey Reflects on “Scary” Leaderboard Moment and His Comeback Spirit

Strictly Come Dancing star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey has admitted that finding himself at the bottom of the leaderboard last weekend gave him the wake-up call he needed — and reignited his competitive fire.

The Team GB sprinter and Gladiators star, who is paired with professional dancer Karen Hauer, scored just 26 points for his Halloween Week routine after a small but costly mistake. Despite the setback, the pair managed to dodge the dreaded dance-off, earning enough public votes to stay in the competition.

Unfortunately, model and disability rights advocate Ellie Goldstein became the latest celebrity to leave the ballroom after landing in the bottom two (BBC News).

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‘It Was Quite Scary — More Trick Than Treat’

Speaking on Strictly: It Takes Two with host Janette Manrara on Wednesday (November 6), Harry reflected on the nerve-racking experience of being at the bottom.

“It was in true Halloween spirit,” he said. “It was quite scary – more trick than treat. But it was one of those things where you look around and think, ‘Here I am.’ We had fun.”

Karen agreed, adding that their strong connection and joy for dancing helped them win the public’s support.

“We just have fun,” she said. “Everybody is working hard, but there’s a joy that Harry brings. And the fact that we are not giving up — even when the judges shut us down a bit. I never want to see this man not smile.”

According to Metro UK, viewers have praised the pair’s positive energy on social media, with one fan writing: “Harry and Karen always lift the room. They deserve to go far!”

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Harry on His “Out-of-Body” Moment

When Janette mentioned how judge Motsi Mabuse thought Harry took things “up another level” after his mistake, the athlete revealed it was his sports training that kicked in.

“I guess I see things in slow motion,” he laughed. “Obviously, I’m a sprinter — I run up to 27 miles per hour. In that moment, whatever happened happened, and I had to make a split-second decision. It was almost an out-of-body experience.”

He continued: “You either give up or you go hard. It’s similar to the 100 metres — sometimes you have a misstep, but it ends up being your best race. I didn’t want to let Karen down.”

Karen chimed in, praising Harry’s resilience and work ethic. “He never gives up. Even when things go wrong, he resets and comes back stronger,” she told Radio Times.

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Bringing the Party to the Ballroom

Looking ahead to the upcoming live show, Harry said he’s ready to bring more energy and confidence to the dance floor. This weekend, he and Karen will perform a samba to “Samba de Janeiro” by Bellini — a routine Harry described as “a controlled party.”

“It’s a party — but a controlled one,” he joked. “It’s not an open-all-hours party. We’re trying to have fun but keep the focus.”

Karen shared what she believes will help the duo climb back up the leaderboard.

“Bring that joy,” she said. “He’s got great bounce, brilliant hip action, and amazing posture. We’re putting everything out there. I just want him to have the best time and show everyone what he can do.”

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Fans Rally Behind Harry

The athlete’s positive outlook and team spirit have earned him a loyal following among Strictly fans. On X (formerly Twitter), one viewer wrote: “Harry has such infectious energy — you can’t help but root for him!” while another added: “He might not be the best technical dancer, but his heart is all in.”

As The Guardian noted, Strictly Come Dancing has always been about growth and personality as much as technique — and Harry seems determined to embody both.

With renewed determination, a supportive partner, and the crowd firmly behind him, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey is proving that a small stumble doesn’t define your journey — it can, in fact, spark your strongest comeback yet.