Andrea Bocelli’s live performance on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing sparked a mix of reactions from fans on social media.
On Sunday’s (12 November) results show, the Italian tenor was joined on stage by his 11-year-old daughter, Virginia, to perform a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s classic Hallelujah.
BBC Strictly and BBC iPlayer shared a clip of the performance on Instagram with the caption: “A stunning performance of Hallelujah from @andreabocelliofficial and @virginiabocelli lighting up the #Strictly Ballroom.”
However, viewers weren’t entirely convinced. In the comments, one fan described the performance as “excruciating,” while another admitted they were “disappointed.” Other posts on behind-the-scenes clips also drew criticism:
- “I’m sorry but it sounded awful,” one user wrote.
- “I don’t think their voices harmonised that well,” another added.
Despite the negative feedback, many fans praised the performance, calling it “stunning” and “beautiful.” Several were also delighted to see Bocelli back on the dance floor:
- “So nice to see Giovanni back on the dance floor tonight! He genuinely looked happy,” one fan commented.
- “Gio and Dianne, that was gorgeous, so beautiful! Also gotta say how good it was to see Gio back on the dance floor, missed him!”
The performance clearly divided viewers, with opinions ranging from critical to highly complimentary.
Bocelli has previously performed with his daughter at the O2 Arena alongside son Matteo, 26, and the trio released an album, A Family Christmas.
Bocelli’s album became a bestseller in the United States in 2022, and earlier this year he released A Family Christmas (Deluxe Edition) on 10 November, featuring four brand-new holiday recordings along with six bonus tracks.
Meanwhile, Week 8 of Strictly Come Dancing saw newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy and his professional dance partner, Lauren Oakley, bid farewell to the competition.
Speaking on Strictly: It Takes Two, Krishnan Guru-Murthy said:
“For this one, I was in a slightly different frame of mind because I knew it might be my last dance, so I really wanted to enjoy it. I wanted us—my dance partner and me—to enjoy it. It wasn’t just about the performance; I was in a different headspace than usual, thinking, ‘I want to remember this as my last dance, if it is going to be my last dance.’”