The glittering fun and games on Strictly Come Dancing turned serious on Sunday night as the first dance-off of the season sent three-time Olympic champion Tom Dean packing. Dean and his partner, Nadiya Bychkova, faced popstar Toyah Willcox and her partner, Neil Jones, in a high-stakes showdown, after the public vote left them at the bottom.
Dean performed his cha cha to Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind & Fire, while Willcox jived to Ike and Tina Turner’s Nutbush City Limits. Despite both couples giving it their all, the judges’ decision was clear—only Anton Du Beke voted to save Dean, while the other three judges backed 66-year-old Willcox to stay in the competition.
Following the verdict, a gracious Dean told host Tess Daly that while he wished he could have “gone further and done more dances,” his experience on the show had been unforgettable. “I’ve had the best time [over] the last few weeks, and getting to work with Nadiya has been incredible,” Dean said, adding that the pair would continue their friendship off the dancefloor. Bychkova returned the compliments, calling Dean “a true gentleman” and praising his work ethic.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Dean shared that while he was “gutted” to leave the competition early, his Strictly journey had been “an absolute blast.” He thanked Bychkova for being an “amazing teacher” and described their partnership as an “absolute privilege.”
On Saturday night, all 15 couples dazzled the audience with their performances. However, a wardrobe malfunction caused Bychkova to stumble slightly during their routine, which may have contributed to their final score of 20.
Other standout moments included comedian Chris McCausland, Strictly’s first blind contestant, impressing with a foxtrot that earned him a standing ovation from head judge Shirley Ballas. She praised McCausland as “an example to every celebrity upstairs when it comes to footwork.” DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, despite being sidelined by an injury, also wowed Ballas with his “absolutely amazing” performance after just 16 hours of rehearsal time.
The night’s highest score came from Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and her partner Aljaž Škorjanec, who topped the leaderboard with their stunning Viennese waltz. They were awarded the first nines of the series, as Ghouri’s father shed tears of pride in the audience. JLS star JB Gill also shone with a cha cha that earned him a score of 27.
Despite the dramatic showdown, Willcox and Jones remain at the bottom of the leaderboard for the second week running. With the competition heating up, the remaining couples will need to pull out all the stops in the weeks ahead.
This year’s Strictly series has faced its share of controversy off the dancefloor. Allegations from former contestants have led the BBC to launch an investigation, with particular focus on claims by actress Amanda Abbington regarding her former dance partner, Giovanni Pernice, which he has denied.
In response, the BBC has implemented changes, including the introduction of chaperones in rehearsal rooms and dedicated welfare producers to support the stars.
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