Monday, December 23, 2024

Strictly Come Dancing fans gobsmacked after front-runner in shock dance-off

Must read

Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe faced the dance-off against Tasha Ghouri and Alijaz Skorjanec (Picture: Guy Levy/PA Wire)

Gladiator and former Olympian Montell Douglas has become the 10th celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing after a surprise quarter-final dance-off.

The 38-year-old and her professional partner Johannes Radebe were defeated in the dance-off by shock competition in the form of Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and her partner Aljaž Škorjanec .

Tasha, 26, and Aljaž appeared in the Musicals Week dance-off despite scoring the joint second-highest with 38 for their Argentine Tango to Ex-Wives from Six The Musical on Saturday’s show.

The couples performed their dances for a second time on Sunday’s results show, after Montell and Johannes had scored 32 for their Rhumba to I’m Here from The Colour Purple on the live show.

Fans were aghast to see Tasha in the bottom two though – as the first, and so far only, celebrity to achieve the full 40 marks for a routine this series.

As one fan described it as ‘insulting the contest’ and multiple branded it ‘shocking’, Gary Oloman complained: ‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?. Montell and Tasha in the dance-off for the semi-final. Is the leader board the right way up?’

EMBARGOED TO 2015 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30 For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe, during the dress rehearsal for Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Picture date: Saturday November 30, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
The Gladiator became the 10th celebrity eliminated from Strictly (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC)
EMBARGOED TO 2015 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30 For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec, during the dress rehearsal for Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Picture date: Saturday November 30, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
Tasha clinched the top score of Saturday with 39 – but it couldn’t save her and Aljaz from the bottom two (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC)

Leah chimed in: ‘This dance-off is so unfair, WHY are Tasha and Montell against each other.’

‘I genuinely think Montell getting eliminated is one of the biggest injustices in the show’s history. Neither her nor Tasha should have been in the dance-off,’ added @karistbh, while @TashAmaka posted: ‘Absolute joke. Tasha and Montell in the dance off was crazy!’

Some had predicted that Montell might have a tricky week, given that she was dancing the always-challenging Rhumba.

One fan even dubbed it ‘the kiss of death’, given how many celebrities have been given the boot the week they’ve had to dance it.

Meanwhile, Towie star Pete Wicks and his partner Jowita Przystal avoided the dance-off despite scoring just 26 and an obvious mistake on the live show for their waltz to Somewhere from West Side Story.

For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal, during the live show of Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Picture date: Saturday November 30, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
Pete Wicks avoided the dance-off despite scoring just 26 and placing at the bottom of the leaderboard (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, during the live show of Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Picture date: Saturday November 30, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
JB Gill scored a near perfect 39, landing him at the top – and just one point ahead of Tasha (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)

Elsewhere, JLS singer JB Gill and pro partner Lauren Oakley topped the leaderboard with an almost perfect score of 39 after their Viennese Waltz to Let’s Go Fly A Kite from Mary Poppins.

Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and professional dance partner Vito Coppola also scored 38 for their Charleston to Popular from the musical Wicked, while Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell scored 32 for their Quickstep to You’re The Top from Anything Goes.

After the dance-off, the judges unanimously decided to save Tasha and Alijaz, sending Montell and Johannes home.

After finding out she would be leaving the show, the Olympian said: ‘He (Johannes) has been amazing. Strictly has touched me in ways I never knew possible.

EMBARGOED TO 2000 SUNDAY DECEMBER 1 For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe after she became the became the latest celebrity to be eliminated from BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing. Issue date: Sunday December 1, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
Montell said it had been an ‘honour’ to be a part of Strictly (Picture: Guy Levy/PA Wire)
EMBARGOED TO 2000 SUNDAY DECEMBER 1 For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Montell Douglas after she became the became the latest celebrity to be eliminated from BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing. Issue date: Sunday December 1, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
‘You’re my winner,’ Johannes gushed to Montell (Picture: Guy Levy/PA Wire)

‘I’m an Olympian and a Gladiator, but I have honestly struggled with confidence my whole life and being on the show, with the beautiful crew, the judges, the cast, has just been such an honour.’

Johannes said: ‘I am so proud of you (Montell), because you are a non-dancer. But the one thing that you have done every single week is turn out beautiful dancing.

‘So I want to say to you, thank you for respecting our art form of Ballroom and Latin. The way you handled it was like a true pro. You’re my winner.’

Montell revealed that Johannes had become ‘a friend and a brother’, adding: ‘I hope he’s in my life forever, because we have something very special.’

EMBARGOED TO 2020 SATURDAY OCTOBER 12 For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe, during the dress rehearsal for Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Picture date: Saturday October 12, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
The pair had faced the dance-off in previous weeks (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
EMBARGOED TO 2015 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30 For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec, during the dress rehearsal for Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Picture date: Saturday November 30, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption.
The judges all voted to save Tasha and Aljaž (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)

Sunday’s results show featured a performance of The Schuyler Sisters from the musical Hamilton, and a group number by the Strictly professional dancers to As If We Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard.

The remaining five couples will take to the dancefloor next week for the BBC dancing show’s semi-final, where they will perform two full dance routines for the first time this series.

Last Saturday, they dipped their toes into more than one dance by tackling the Samba-Thon – although it attracted controversy given fans felt it wasn’t a level playing field.

Strictly Come Dancing returns live on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday December 7 at 6.30pm, while the results show will air on Sunday December 8 at 7.20pm.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Latest article