Strictly Come Dancing’s Mollie King and AJ Pritchard were lauded by viewers for their Blackpool special performance on Saturday night.

The couple opened the show at the world famous Tower Ballroom with a charleston to Little Mix’s Wings which featured plenty of lifts.

They picked up 29 points, with head judge Shirley Ballas telling King – who has twice been in the dance-off – she had “finally found your wings”.

“What a way to open the show,” Ballas added.

Bruno Tonioli compared the performance to a bird being “let out of the cage”, while Craig Revel Horwood called the lifts a “triumph”.

Pritchard’s strength impressed viewers on Twitter, while others were left holding their breath a little.

@walesape wrote: “What an opening to the Blackpool #Strictly show that was. Fabulous routine & excellent lifts AJ, well done both of you.”

@Potter_don tweeted: “FANTASTIC! Great lifts Molly and you are so strong AJ you got my vote you two.”

@Ben40227378 wrote: “IM SQUIRMING, THESE LIFTS ARE GIVING ME ANXIETY , Bloody good job @MollieKing and AJ.”

@NerissaWilliams tweeted: “held my breath through those lifts, well done molly and aj.”

@ChloeMorley_xo called the lifts “incredible” adding: “they were insane”.