Fans of the BBC One reality series Strictly Come Dancing are up in arms about the latest elimination, complaining that the unlucky contestant had been a victim of circumstance.
Saturday night’s (9 November) live show saw a number of contestants achieve consistently high scores, with no one garnering particularly low scores.
Someone had to be eliminated, however, and on Sunday, it came down to two pairs: former X Factor winner Shayne Ward and his partner Nancy Xu, and singer Wynne Evans and pro partner Katya Jones.
With Ward and Evans facing each other in the dance off, each couple performed their routines again. Ward and Xu danced the Rumba to “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper, while Evans and Jones performed the American Smooth to “Grace Kelly” by MIKA.
Ultimately, it was Ward and Xu who were the chop, despite the support of judges Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse. Anton Du Beke opted to save Evans and jones, prompting head judge Shirley Ballas to issue the decisive judgment, sending Ward and Xu packing.
Fans of the series bemoaned Ward’s luck, claiming that the difficult choice of a rumba had set him up to fail.
“Very unfair as Shayne has been consistent every week, they seem to have a soft spot for Wynn, also having the rumba didn’t help him this week,” one person wrote on X/Twitter.
“Rubbish outcome,” another wrote. “Shayne had more to give.”
“Shayne was wonderful throughout his time on Strictly,” someone else remarked. “I can’t believe he was voted out.
In an interview after the elimination, Ward said: “I just want to say, you guys up there [the other contestants in the Clauditorium] are a dream. Every single day, coming in here and seeing you guys you helped me so much. I want to say thank you to the audience as well, for always being amazing for us all. This has been, honestly, one of the best things I’ve ever done.
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“I’m proud that I made it to eight weeks as a novice dancer. A massive thank you goes to this incredible human right next to me [Nancy], who has put so much fire in me and made me believe that I can actually achieve more if I let myself go. I’m sorry it didn’t work out to the end, but I’m super proud that I got to meet you [to Nancy] and dance with you, so thank you.”
Strictly returns at 6.45pm on Saturday 16 November on BBC One.