Former Olympic hockey player Sam Quek and her professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin have been eliminated from this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The pair, who scored 29 with their Icons Week American smooth to Taylor Swift’s Love Story, became the sixth celebrity couple to leave after the likes of Dr Punam Krishan and DIY SOS star Nick Knowles.
Their exit came despite reality TV star Pete Wicks and his partner Jowita Przystal scoring just 22 with their performance to Another One Bites The Dust by Queen on Saturday.
Sam and Nikita were defeated in the dance-off by former Olympian and Gladiator Montell Douglas and her dance partner Johannes Radebe, who scored 35 in Saturday’s live show for their waltz to I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston.
All four judges agreed unanimously to save Montell and Johannes.
Speaking about her time on the show, Sam said: ‘I’m gutted, I just want to say thank you. I’ve learned so much. Strictly has just brought that spring in my step back.
‘It’s just been an absolute joy. Nikita, you’ve been key in helping me find that inner Sam that was there, who went a little bit quiet for maybe one or two years and has just come back.
‘I’m gutted because I do feel like I still have more to give.’
After the show aired, Sam shared a long message on Instagram about her feelings about leaving stating she has ‘no regrets’.
She thanked Nikita and the team, saying they were ‘shooting for the moon’ every week but Strictly was ‘tougher’ than she had anticipated.
‘Physically, by day, I danced my feet red raw and repeated the week’s routine until my legs couldn’t hold me up,’ she wrote. ‘By night, ice bathed, massaged and prepared for the next day by watching my routine over and over.’
‘Mentally the process was even more demanding,’ she added, explaining she missed her children who kept asking her to come home.
However, it wasn’t all bad as she said she ‘got to live the dream’ which she will miss now it is over.
Celebrity Big Brother star Nikita said on the show: ‘I’m just in awe of this girl. Sometimes they say it’s about the journey, not the destination, but to me it’s about the company. Sam you are the most wonderful company I could have had.’
The 36-year-old went on to describe her partnership with her professional partner as ‘magical’.
It comes after JLS singer JB Gill and stand-in professional partner Lauren Oakley scored the joint highest of this year’s series on Saturday’s live show, with 39 for their Bruno Mars medley, as Amy Dowden watched on from the studio due to illness.
The Welsh professional dancer, who is normally JB’s partner, missed last Sunday’s results programme after being taken to Barnet Hospital from the BBC One show’s production centre, Elstree Studios, as a ‘precaution’ after she began ‘feeling unwell’.
Speaking during Saturday’s show, Amy tearfully said: ‘It’s been a real dream team, even to the point where Lauren put in our chat, “J, do you want a coffee?” To which I replied: “Yes, you’ll have a vanilla latte”.’
Reality star Tasha Ghouri and professional partner Aljaz Skorjanec performed to Pink’s What About Us and also scored a joint series high of 39.
Meanwhile, Go Compare singer Wynne Evans was accused of breaking the rules by fans, as they questioned whether he was allowed to sing during the performance.
And there was also a surprise cameo by Miranda Hart, as she checked in on co-star Sarah Hadland during rehearsals.
Sunday’s results show elsewhere featured a performance from K-pop boyband dearALICE, along with a Beyonce medley, with Johannes channelling his inner Sasha Fierce as the protagonist in the routine.
The remaining nine couples, including comedian Chris McCausland and The X Factor’s Shayne Ward, will take to the dancefloor next week.
Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday, November 9 at 6.35pm, with the Remembrance Sunday results show on Sunday, November 10 at 7.20pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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