VOTE PROBLEM ON STRICTLY SPECIAL !

Spoiler warning: This story contains details about the Christmas Day edition of Strictly Come Dancing

Rachel Stevens came second in the 2008 series of Strictly

Recording of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special was delayed after four couples came joint top on the judges' leader board.

The tie meant the remaining two couples could not win the show after the studio audience had voted.

The audience was asked to recast its votes after head judge Len Goodman re-ranked the relevant couples.

A BBC spokeswoman said the show was stopped to give Goodman "an opportunity to reach a considered decision".

Actor Tom Chambers won the Strictly final on Saturday in a public vote.

Monday night's recording of the Christmas show did not involve a public telephone vote. It features former contestants competing against this year's top three to be named Christmas champion.

The BBC said the recording was stopped for more than an hour while a "contingency" plan was put in place.

A statement said: "During the course of filming the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, there was a four-way tie at the top of the leader board after the judges had voted.

"In these circumstances Len Goodman, as head judge, ranks the tying couples and that is what happened on this occasion. "In order to allow for this contingency the show was stopped to give Len an opportunity to reach a considered decision and for producers to brief the presenters and dancers on the changed running order."

The 2008 series of Strictly Come Dancing sparked controversy after Chambers was saved from the semi-final dance-off by a last-minute decision to let all three remaining couples go through to the final.

The decision followed a tie between Stevens and Snowdon, who were awarded exactly the same score by the judges, meaning the public vote could not save Chambers.
BBC NEWS REPORT.