Montell Douglas finally fell foul of the dance-off on Sunday night, as she became the tenth celebrity to be sent packing from Strictly Come Dancing during Musicals Week.
The Gladiators star, 38, and her professional partner Johannes Radebe landed in the bottom two of the public vote for the third week in a row, up against Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec.
First to take to the floor, Montell and Johannes performed their Rumba to I’m Here from the musical The Color Purple, followed by Tasha and Aljaž’s Argentine Tango to Ex-Wives from Six.
After both couples had danced their hardest, it was down to the judges to deliver their verdicts with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all choosing to save Tasha and Aljaž.
While head judge Shirley Ballas agreed with her fellow judges, and said that she would have also decided to send Montell and Johannes home.
Despite narrowly missing out on a place in the next week’s semi-finals, Montell gushed about her experience on the show, as she described how her confidence had grown, while Johannes had become her ‘friend and brother’.
Montell Douglas finally fell foul of the dance-off on Sunday night, as she became the tenth celebrity to be sent packing from Strictly Come Dancing during Musicals Week
The Gladiators star, 38, and her professional partner Johannes Radebe landed in the bottom two of the public vote for the third week in a row, up against Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
First to take to the floor, Montell and Johannes performed their Rumba to I’m Here from the musical The Color Purple, followed by Tasha and Aljaž’s Argentine Tango to Ex-Wives from Six
She said: ‘[Johannes] has been amazing. Strictly has touched me in ways I never knew possible.
‘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.’
Addressing his partner, Johannes praised: ‘I am so proud of you, 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.’
In response, Montell emotionally told him: ‘I have to say thank you to you because I really have found a friend and a brother in this man. I mean it from the bottom of my heart, I hope he’s in my life forever, because we have something very special.’
Their exit comes after fans blasted Strictly as they accused bosses of ‘setting Montell up to fail’ with the ‘wrong dance and song’ – after she had already landed in the dance-off two weeks in a row.
Even before taking to the dancefloor, viewers were convinced the Olympian was doomed after she was tasked with dancing the notoriously difficult Rumba to the song I’m Here from The Colour Purple.
The Rumba is widely considered to be one of the most challenging of ballroom dances, while Montell and Johannes were scheduled to go on second, which several fans have called the ‘death slot’.
After both couples had danced their hardest, it was down to the judges to deliver their verdicts with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all choosing to save Tasha and Aljaž
Despite narrowly missing out on a place in the next week’s semi-finals, Montell gushed about her experience on the show, as she described how her confidence had grown, while Johannes had become her ‘friend and brother’
Their exit comes after fans blasted Strictly as they accused bosses of ‘setting Montell up to fail’ with the ‘wrong dance and song’ – after she had already landed in the dance-off two weeks in a row
The pair had only survived by the skin of their teeth for the past two weeks, after facing off potential eliminations against Wynne Evans and Katya Jones (pictured), and Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas.
The pair had only survived by the skin of their teeth for the past two weeks, after facing off potential eliminations against Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, and Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas.
While week seven also saw them in the bottom two, where they were mercifully saved over Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin.
Fans slammed producers for giving Montell ‘the kiss of death’ this week, as they argued their favourite dancer was being purposefully pushed out of the competition.
While they seemed in absolute awe of the star’s routine, they were convinced the song was very ‘slow’ compared to the zesty dance – a point noted by several of the judges, who gave her a score of 32 points out of 40.
Viewers quickly took to X sharing their opinions, praising the athlete’s ‘beautiful’ dance but also sharing fears she will be next go get the chop.
They commented: ‘The BBC are so obvious with who they want out. I mean, this is practically a ‘tell me you want Montell out without actually telling me’ situation.
‘It’s ludicrous to give a rumba on Musicals week to a contestant who’s been in the bottom three times?; ‘Worried for Montell with a rumba this late in the series and her being in the bottom 2 so many times’.
‘montell in the death slot with her rumba… when i catch you producers; Voted for montell she was stitched up this week; They’ve only gone and put montell in the death slot with a rumba…’
The Rumba is widely considered to be one of the most challenging of ballroom dances, while Montell and Johannes were scheduled to go on second, which several fans have called the ‘death slot’
Following Montell’s exit, there are only five celebrities left in the competition, with only one more week to go until the final four will be revealed
‘I fear Montell has received the kiss of death; I see you Strictly producers, I see you. Montell deserves better! I would’ve loved to have seen a Charleston from team Jojo this week!
‘They stitched up Shayne and now they’re stitching up Montell. The difference though is that Montell is too good to leave this early. She should be a finalist! I’m fuming!’
‘The producers sticking Montell in the death slot with a Rumba so they can drag their precious Chris and Pete through to the final… I feel ill #Strictly’.
Sunday’s results show featured a phenomenal performance of The Schuyler Sisters from the acclaimed musical Hamilton, and a dazzling group number from the professional dancers to As If We Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard.
Following Montell’s exit, there are only five celebrities left in the competition, with only one more week to go until the final four will be revealed.
The last five couples will take to the dancefloor next week for the semi-final, where they will each perform two dances.
Strictly Come Dancing returns live on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 7 December at 1830. The results show will air on Sunday 8 December at 1920 on BBC One and iPlayer.