Hundreds of viewers complained to the BBC about the decision to cancel the television show's “dance-off”, in which the two lowest-ranked couples battle to stay in the competition, and instead advance all three remaining celebrity couples to this week's final.

The contest is determined by a combination of ratings from a panel of four judges and telephone votes from the public. The pop star Rachel Stevens and the model and radio presenter Lisa Snowdon were given identical marks by the judges, leaving the actor Tom Chambers, who was last-placed, no mathematical possibility of avoiding the dance-off, however many public votes he received.

The programme's presenters, Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly, nevertheless encouraged the show's 11.2 million viewers to ring a premium-rate number to save Chambers from the dance-off.

Had the programme proceded as normal the BBC could have been in breach of broadcasting regulations, which specify that the broadcaster must not “materially mislead” viewers.

Instead the BBC promised to roll over the viewers' votes into next week's final. The BBC said: “Due to the outcome of the judges' vote, the audience vote could not have saved one of our couples from the dance-off.” Because the vote had opened just before the programme went off air, the spokesman said, “we took the decision that all the votes cast tonight should stand and be carried through. So the audience has had the usual chance to vote on the performances of all our semi-finalists. All the votes cast will be rolled over.”

The show hit the front pages last month when the political journalist John Sergeant quit, having swept through the early rounds on a wave of public support despite the judges' disparagement. Sergeant will return to the Strictly boards in Saturday's final for a group dance.

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