MANY unwitting celebs have fallen prey to the infamous 'Strictly curse', with the show putting even the strongest relationships to the test.
But there's another hex that plagues contestants year after year, putting them at a disadvantage in the competition – and this series is no exception.
West End star Layton Williams has hit back at 'fix claims' after some viewers complained his musical theatre background has given him an unfair advantage.
The 29-year-old, who is paired with Nikita Kuzmin, was forced to defend himself after ex-judge Arlene Phillips and former pros James Jordan and Brendan Cole waded in on the debate, claiming it was unfair to have professional dancers compete on the show.
Meanwhile his fellow stars are said to be "frustrated" about having to compete against Layton, who has scored a series of high marks including a perfect 10.
A source told the Mail on Sunday it "goes against the spirit of the show" to have someone of his calibre, adding: "He is as good or even better than his professional partner.
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"There is such an uneven playing field here that it is impossible for any of the other contestants to have a chance of winning, even if the viewers do enjoy watching a celebrity's journey."
But his past experience has set him a high bar when it comes to the judges' comments, with Shirley Ballas being booed by the studio audience last Saturday after criticising Layton's footwork in the Tango.
And judging by how previous contestants with extensive dance experience have fared, it's not likely to do him any favours in the long run.
Here we take a look at how the lesser-known Strictly curse hits celeb 'pros' – and why it's even led some fans to threaten a boycott of the show.
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