Proud Terry

Alderton through to Let's Dance final

Stand-up Terry Alderton has made it through to the final of Let's Dance For Sport Relief following a last-minute decision by judge Keith Lemon.

The comic – who performed to Tina Turner’s Proud Mary in drag – joins EastEnders Tameka Empson and Laurie Brett in the next round.

The soap actresses won the phone vote with their version of Beyonce and Lady Gaga's Telephone, putting them through automatically.

Cricket star Darren Gough and Shooting Stars duo Ulrika Jonsson and Angelos Epithemious were next off – leaving the final place down to Alderton or veteran DJ pair Tony Blackburn and David Hamilton.

Graham Norton said Alderton’s routine was ‘physical poetry’, joking that: ‘His femininity was so strong that in the opening line-up I couldn’t tell which one was Terry, could you?’

But he voted for the DJs, for ‘putting their lives on the line’ for a spirited version of Salt N Pepa’s Push It.

Greg Davis said Alderton was his favourite act of the night, saying: ‘The dance was phenomenal. The facial expression terrified me. I thought we were going to have to get a paramedic for a little bit.’

The split meant, in the words of host Steve Jones, that the decision had been 'left in the hands of an insane person’.

Lemon, the alter ego of Leigh Francis, said he would bow to the audience, who were shouting loudest for Terry – who now goes through to the final on March 17.

An audience of 6.5million tuned into the show, according to the overnight ratings.

It returns next week with judges Vic Reeves and Rufus Hound, and contestants including comics Miles Jupp and Ava Vidal, The Only Way Is Essex stars Amy Childs and Harry Derbridge, and skier Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards.

Here’s Alderton’s dance from last night: