Strictly shock as lowest scoring celeb avoids dance off – while second star is sent home on results show
BBC Radio DJ Nikita Kanda became the second celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing tonight.
Nikita, 28, lost out in the dance off against Zara McDermott, who had finished third from the bottom at the end of Saturday’s live show.
Meanwhile Paralympian Jody Cundy, who had finished bottom with 20 points, avoided the dance off after receiving enough votes from the public to move him above the two women.
Nikita and her pro partner Gorka Marquez’s Jive to Kids In America failed to impress on “Movie Week”, and they finished second from the bottom on Saturday.
After dancing it again, the judges decided to send them home.
After the judges made their decision Nikita said: “I don’t want to leave yet, I feel like I’ve let him down.
“I’ve had the best time and I love all my Strictly family, I’m going to miss you all.
“This has been a dream come true, I’m so grateful. I’ve got to say the biggest thankyou to Gorka, he has been the biggest support and I’ve had the best time ever.”
Gorka, 33, said of Nikita: “I am beyond proud of her, for someone that doesn’t have any dance experience or performance experience to come on this show and dance in front of millions of people – for three weeks, I think it’s incredible.”
Turning to Nikita on camera he added: “You should be very proud of yourself, you have never let me down and I am very proud of you.
“This show is going to teach you so many things about yourself that you can take with you and I take incredible memories. I’ve never laughed so much in three weeks than I did with you.”
Strictly pro dancer Amy Dowden also made a return on Saturday night for the first time since she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.
Amy, 33, shaved her head and started chemotherapy after being given the diagnosis in May and on Sunday said she chose not to wear a wig when she appeared on the show.
She wrote on Instagram: “It is their love and support that gave me the courage to decide last minute to step out and brave the bald.
“It’s messages like the above which is why I use my platform to raise awareness and hopefully give others confidence #baldisbeautful.”
She continued: “Not saying it was easy and I still miss my long hair dearly but gosh did it feel liberating and it’s breast cancer awareness month which gave me that extra push to do it.
“Can’t wait to back there with the Strictly family again soon.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.