Despite the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel’s remarks, Lauren still ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard with 35 points.
Viewers at home were delighted by the pair’s performance and took to social media to congratulate her.
One fan tweeted: “After a few dodgy weeks Lauren had such a bounce back! #Strictly.”
“In a surprising turn of events, Lauren & AJ were easily my favourites of the night. Simple, elegant & not overly cheesy. #scd #Strictly,” posted another.
A third wrote: “#Strictly Lauren & AJ – best dance yet! Absolutely beautiful. Really moving. Well done Lauren x.”
Another viewer simply posted: “Lauren and AJ were brilliant #Strictly.”
It comes after Strictly Come Dancing couple Stacey and Kevin Clifton danced the American Smooth Foxtrot to I Dreamed A Dream, with Stacey dressed as a character from Les Misérables.
Host Tess Daly gushed over the performance, describing it as “beautiful” and “moving”, adding: “I saw Bruno with a little tear in his eye. I’ve never seen Bruno cry before.”
Bruno looked tearful as Shirley Balls was seen to wipe away tears from her eyes.
Awarding the pair a 10, Shirley said: “There are some time in our life when we do something so magical that we capture it in our heart and stay there forever, and that was that.
“It was seamless. I loved everything from beginning to end.”
Bruno also awarded the pair a 10, revealing that he was “a mess”, saying: “Look what you’ve done to me, I’m a mess. That was so special. I really forgot who I was. That really was so special.”
Despite the “stunning” routine, Stacey and Kevin were not placed at the top of the leaderboard.
The pair scored a total of 38 points from the judging panel, putting them in third place.
Presenter Claudia Winkleman announced: “It’s time to take a look at the leaderboard.
“Faye and Giovani are at the top of the leaderboard with a perfect score of 40.
“Down the other end are Lauren and AJ and Charles and Karen, each with a score of 35.
“Remember, you can change all of that by picking up the phone or going online and voting for your favourite.
“They all want a golden ticket to next week’s semi-final. The vote closes at 8.45pm tonight.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues tomorrow on BBC One at 7.20pm.
