Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe became the ninth dancing partnership to be voted off Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday evening.
The Ted Lasso actress, 38, and the professional dancer, 35, missed out on a spot on next week’s show after facing Fleur East and Vito Coppola in the dance off.
During Saturday’s show, Ellie found herself at the bottom of the leaderboard after receiving a mere five out of ten points from judge Craig Revel Horwood.
Bye! Ellie Taylor and Johannes Radebe became the ninth dancing partnership to be voted off Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday evening
After landing in the bottom two, Ellie performed heir Jive to Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison in a bid to stay in the competition.
However the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke unanimously voted to save Fleur and Vito after they performed their Rumba to Too Lost in You by the Sugababes.
After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts.
Craig chose to save Fleur and Vito, explaining: ‘Based purely on the technique alone I would like to save Fleur and Vito.’
She’s out: The Ted Lasso actress, 38, and the professional dancer, 35, missed out on a spot on next week’s show after facing Fleur East and Vito Coppola in the dance off
Motsi also chose to save the couple, and said: ‘First of all I would like to say that both couples performed really really well, also for me the technical aspect was very important, so I’m going to save Fleur and Vito.’
Anton added: ‘Well I’d just like to say congratulations to both couples for getting this far into the competition. Both danced marvellously. I thought Ellie danced a great performance in your Jive. And Fleur I thought your technique was strong and you performance was powerful, and I’d like to save Fleur and Vito.’
With three votes to Fleur and Vito, it meant they had won the majority vote and would be staying in the competition regardless, however Head Judge Shirley Ballas said she would also have decided to save Fleur and Vito.
Vote off: However the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke unanimously voted to save Fleur and Vito after they performed their Rumba to Too Lost
Shirley said: ‘Both couples danced exceptionally well but on this occasion, down to the technique qualities, I’d have saved Fleur and Vito.’
Asked by Tess if had been everything she expected it to be, Ellie said: ‘It has and it’s been, I’m going to be a cliché machine now, buts it’s been everything and more. I never in a million years expected to be in for this long and to experience it so fully.
‘Strictly is about dancing but it’s also about the people, and every part of this show from the top to bottom, from the Execs to the make-up, to the hair to the costumes, to the sets to the band, to my fellow celebs and the dancers – even some of the judges have been alright! It’s been an absolute privilege to become part of the Strictly alumni and I’ve really really loved it.’
Ouch! During Saturday’s show, Ellie found herself at the bottom of the leaderboard after receiving a mere five out of ten points from judge Craig Revel Horwood
Asked about her special relationship with Johannes, Ellie said: ‘We’ve had so much fun. And to borrow an Anton-ism, let me tell you about you Johannes Radebe. You [Johannes] are as wonderful as everyone said you would be, and I’ve said you’re like human sunshine and you really really are.
‘You see people and you saw me, at every point. I have been so worried and so out of my comfort zone and so self-conscious and so weird and you have said ’embrace your weird Ellie’. You’ve done it so full-heartedly and without judgement.
‘It’s been an absolute privilege to dance with you JoJo, I don’t know what runs through your body but it’s not blood, it’s rhythm and it’s music, and to watch you perform is incredible.’
Dancing their socks off: After landing in the bottom two, Ellie performed heir Jive to Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison in a bid to stay in the competition
Safe: Craig chose to save Fleur and Vito, explaining: ‘Based purely on the technique alone I would like to save Fleur and Vito’
When asked if he had any words for his partner, Johannes said: ‘Oh my goodness – it’s been a pleasure, treasure, that’s our thing. Ellie Taylor, moving forward, embrace your weird! Embrace your long limbs, because you are one gorgeous person. So thank you for everything, you know my heart, thank you.’
The show opened with a colourful routine from the Strictly pros to Lizzo’s 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) and Tom Grennan performed his hit single with Joel Corry, Lionheart.
During Saturday’s show, comedian Ellie performed an energetic jive with partner Johannes but failed to impress notoriously strict judge Craig- who gave the dance a five out of ten points.
While she managed to brush off the score by quipping: ‘At least it wasn’t a four’, many fans took to social media to share their anger over the harsh scoring.
‘At least it wasn’t a four!’: During Saturday’s show, comedian Ellie performed an energetic jive with partner Johannes but failed to impress notoriously strict judge Craig
Ellie and Johannes took to the dance floor in matching pink checkered shirts for the fun performance.
But opening the comments afterwards, Craig said: ‘You got off on the wrong foot, it was lacklustre I’m afraid.’
Motsi Mabuse told them: ‘You had the fun of Jive. I like the whole looked. I have two sections for you, I have the performance which I think it getting better and then I have technical… you had the taste of the Jive which was nice to see.’
While Head Judge Shirley Ballas had her reservations over Ellie’s technique, as she told the comedian: ‘I loved the theme, I thought the narrative was good but for me, the technique missed completely.
Not a fan: ‘You got off on the wrong foot, it was lacklustre I’m afraid,’ said Craig as he marked the performance
Time to jive! The comedian performed an energetic jive with partner Johannes, as they donned matching pink checkered shirts
‘It looked quite heavy and a bit flat footed. There is no mistaking, your personality is exquisite but, at week 10, I want a bit of both if we can.’
On a more positive note, Anton added: ‘I love the way you perform your numbers. You could be a musical theatre star, you have great characterisation… I thought it was marvellous, well done.’
Giving his score, Craig offered five, Shirley gave six, while both Motsi and Anton gave sevens, totalling 25 – leaving them at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Dissapointing: Giving his score, Craig offered five, Shirley gave six, while both Motsi and Shirley gave sevens, totalling 25 – leaving them at the bottom of the leaderboard
‘At least it wasn’t a four,’ responded Ellie, who had covered her eyes and burrowed her head into Johannes’ chest during the scoring.
While the star, who has previously found herself at the bottom of the leaderboard, appeared able to laugh off the disappointing feedback, many viewers weren’t so forgiving as they took to social media.
‘I don’t care what the judges say / I enjoyed Ellie and Johannes’ jive – it was camp, cute and they had fun,’ wrote one fan.
While many fought both Ellie and Helen Skelton’s (who also recieved a five from the judge) corner’s, with one viewer writing: ‘Craig is just being ridiculous. Neither Ellie nor Helen should have got a 5’.
Outrage: While the star appeared able to laugh off the dissapointing feedback, many viewers weren’t so forgiving as they took to social media
‘No way was that a 5, can tell who Craig wants to go home, Helen or Ellie, totally undermarked,’ quipped another.
Elsewhere in the show, Will Mellor managed to top the leaderboard by scoring 38 out of a possible 40 points with his impressive Charleston.
And one dancing duo will just miss out on next week’s semi-final, as the show returns tomorrow, Sunday 27 November, to announce the result of the public vote and send one celebrity home.
The remaining six couples will take to the dancefloor next week when Strictly Come Dancing will air live on Friday 2nd December at 8.00pm, with the results show on Saturday 3rd December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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