Strictly Come Dancing: Sheffield TV star Dan Walker gets backing from MC Hammer for his dance to Can't Touch This

The Sheffield-based BBC Breakfast and Football Focus presenter and professional dance partner Nadiya Bychkova tonight performed the cha cha cha to MC Hammer’s huge hit Can’t Touch This on Strictly Come Dancing and the setting was in a school disco.

The star was excited that he had made a connection with MC Hammer, who Tweeted: “Get after them!!!”

Dan joked with presenter Claudia Winkleman: “MC Hammer is aware. Me and Hammer, we’re so tight now!” after the 90s star Tweeted his encouragement about using the song.

The couple incorporated one or two of MC Hammer’s dance moves into the performance – but judge Craig Revel Horwood said he was confused what the crab move has to do with the cha cha cha!

Judge Anton was delighted, declaring: “Dan the Man is back. Come on!”

Head judge Shirley Ballas called the performance “highly entertaining”, adding: “This week you look like you believe in yourself more.”

She told him: “You can be 6 ft 6in and move fabulously.”

Read this: Dan Walker relives all those awkward school discos in Strictly Come Dancing

Oti Mabuse said: “Never in my life I’d think of MC Hammer and Dan Walker together! It was fun to watch.”

Craig said: “Your acting and rhythm and just your performance was worth the one minute 30, darling.”

Dan took Nadiya to his old school in Sussex, where he went to his first disco but said he was too shy to dance. Not any more.

He said: “With a dance like that, that is for everyone who has ever been shy, embarrassed, uncomfortable, on the side on a dancefloor. Because if I can do that, through the guidance of this amazing woman, then anyone can do it.

“So just go for it and enjoy yourself.”

The couple scored a total of 26, which left them third from bottom on the leaderboard, above Judi and Graziano and Greg and Karen. The all-important public vote will see if they go through to next week in tomorrow night’s show or face the dance-off.

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