Dancing With The Stars derailed by awkward stunt gone wrong: 'Not joking'

Dancing With The Stars viewers were left baffled during Sunday night’s episode when a stunt involving one of the judges went horribly wrong. Lisa McCune and her dance partner Ian Waite, who are the current frontrunners to win this year’s season, ended their show-stopping jail-themed jive performance by handcuffing the actress to judge Craig Revel Horwood.

While Craig was in on the gag and appeared happy to participate, things took a very awkward turn when neither Lisa nor Ian could locate the key to unlock the handcuffs at the end of the dance. Lisa could be seen assuring Craig after the performance that Ian had the key, however, he admitted he had no idea where it was.

Sonia Kruger attempted to make a joke of the situation, saying she was “so glad” they had found Helen Richey’s handcuffs because she’d been looking for them all season, but quickly realised that Lisa and Craig genuinely couldn’t break free.

“They’re real ones, darling,” Craig said. “We’re sort of actually stuck. I’m not joking.”

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Ian searched his costume’s pockets to no avail, receiving scattered laughter from the audience before Sonia tried her best to continue the show.

“So we can get on with the show because I just have to move my car in about half an hour, could you perhaps maybe come over here Lisa and bring Craig with you?” she said.

“Let me check if it’s upstairs. Do we have a key?” she awkwardly asked into her earpiece. “We’re gonna have a look. I believe this was rehearsed.”

'Get me out of these!'

Lisa and Craig continued to struggle with the handcuffs while standing on stage next to Sonia, who questioned what their plan was.

“I thought there was going to be a key somewhere around there,” Craig responded sheepishly, to which Lisa remarked, “Someone has the key. We’re gonna have to get a locksmith!”.

The awkwardness continued when Craig had to give his critiques to Lisa and Ian while standing right next to them. Despite being known as the ‘mean judge’, he said he “absolutely enjoyed” the performance.

“I think you’ve got great timing, great rhythm, and I think you both sold it very very well,” he shared. “Now get me out of these!”.

“You would never have said that if you were up here,” Mark Wilson commented, with Craig replying, “Oh no, I wouldn’t”.

Unsuspecting culprit revealed

After the judges' feedback, the trio joined co-host Chris Brown in the skybox to receive their scores.

“What a very unique situation we find ourselves in here,” Chris joked. “I feel like if we leave it for too long this jailhouse rock might turn into a conjugal visit, so we should move on.”

Craig then gave Lisa and Ian a score of 7, holding up his fingers in place of a paddle before Chris handed him a piece of paper.

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Following this, Chris told Craig it was clear someone had played a “prank” on them and questioned who he thought it might've been.

“Well, in my experience, it has to be Helen,” he said. “She hasn’t liked sitting next to me ever since I arrived.”

Chris then crossed back to “the chief culprit” Sonia, who was shown looking mischievous as she held the key.

Viewers took to social media following the incident to say that they were “so anxious about the handcuffs” but thought it was hilarious.

“Loved the dance but the handcuffs, very funny,” one person wrote, while another added, “The handcuff bit was funny”.

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