Has Strictly Come Dancing 2024 peaked too soon? Just four weeks in and already the judges are handing out perfect tens like Coldplay doling out glowing wrist-bands at the entrance to a stadium.
But even as former Love Islander Tasha Ghouri basked in her Saturday-night streak of three exemplary scores (and the inevitable nine from Craig Revel Horwood), Sunday’s elimination went into overdrive in another way as the series said goodbye to token nice-but-a-bit-useless celeb Nick Knowles.
The DIY TV deity is this year’s charming amateur – the one with the two left feet and a thousand yard-stare as standard. These contestants are a Strictly staple and the show traditionally keeps them around because they are good box office, bringing an underdog charm before the season eventually gets down business.
But once again, Strictly is on fast forward as Knowles – only back after missing an episode due to injury – receives a straight thumbs down from the judges during the dance-off. Mr Fixit has seen his Strictly dreams come crashing down like shelves held together with sticky tape and good intentions.