Arlene: 'Aliona ruined Matt's chances'

Arlene Phillips has claimed that Matt Baker's professional partner Aliona Vilani was to blame for the pair missing out on the Strictly Come Dancing crown.

Baker and Vilani finished as runners-up on Saturday night's grand final, as Kara Tointon and her partner Artem Chigvintsev emerged victorious.

Phillips said that Vilani's choreography during the couple's show dance was a key factor in Baker missing out on the top spot.

"She sabotaged Matt's chances," Phillips told The Sun. "The dance had no flow, no connection. I thought he was going to do something we'd never seen before. Well, we'd never seen that before and we'd never want to see it again.

"Aliona in flat boots looked horrendous. Don't do hip-hop unless you are phenomenal at it."

The former judge went on to say that Tointon and Chigvintsev's sexual chemistry set them apart from the rest of the couples.

"Everything about Kara and Artem's relationship was very sexy. It was tantalising," Phillips added.

"That's what Matt and Aliona never had. They looked like just friends dancing together. I never felt Aliona ever looked at Matt like she'd got cheesecake with lots of whipped cream thrown on top of it.

"They tackled so many of the sexy dances so well but never ever taking you to that point of 'will they, won't they?' And that is what needs to happen."