As usual, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly were on hand to comfort the stars (Picture: BBC)
The ninth celebrity has been eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2023 – and sadly, Angela Scanlon’s time in the competition is over.
On Saturday night, the TV presenter performed a Cha-cha-cha to Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive with her professional partner Carlos Gu.
Unfortunately, the duo received a score of 31 out of a possible 40 for their performance, landing at the bottom of the leaderboard behind the five other couples.
The pair went up opposite Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin in the dance-off, who were third bottom from the leaderboard with a score of 34 for their American Smooth to Björk’s It’s Oh So Quiet.
Both of the couples performed their dances for a second time in the hope that it would be enough to keep them in the running for the Glitterball Trophy.
First up, judge Craig Revel Horwood gave his verdict, sharing: ‘Technically for me personally, the better dance of the night, and the dance I actually enjoyed the most, was Layton and Nikita.’
Angela admitted she was ‘gutted’ to be leaving the show (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
It was yet another tense dance-off (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
Motsi Mabuse voted the same way, declaring: ‘Well this was certainly a tough, tough dance off. I based my decision on musicality and balance and that is why I will be saving Nikita and Layton.’
Anton Du Beke also chose to save Layton and Nikita, explaining his decision by stating: ‘Well I thought that was quite a tense dance off, I don’t think either couple danced as well as they can.
‘It was the closest dance-off we’ve had in the series so far. This is the only thing, I saw an error from one of the couples, so I’m going to vote to keep into the quarter-finals, Layton and Nikita.’
The three votes meant it was confirmed that Angela and Carlos would be leaving the competition.
At this point, the judges are really splitting hairs between the couples (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
However, head judge Shirley Ballas revealed who she would have chosen to save – and it turned out that she disagreed with her fellow judges.
‘Well important for me always when it comes to Ballroom and Latin is the character of the dance, that it’s true to the dance, timing and quality and I would have voted for Angela and Carlos,’ she said.
Speaking about her exit, Angela, 39, told presenter Tess Daly: ‘It’s been honestly incredible, I’m gutted, really gutted that it’s finished now, but it has been the most wonderful experience. I have made the best friend in this man [to Carlos].
‘We have had so much fun, he is such an incredible guy. He has supported me and picked me up and made me laugh so much. I don’t know what to say, it’s been magical honestly – all of those people up there! My husband at home, my two little girls and all my friends!”’
Nikita and Layton will be returning for next Saturday’s Musicals Week (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
Dancer Carlos praised Angela’s incredible ‘commitment’, telling her: ‘Her commitment and her strength every day, day by day – I’m a professional dancer and she works so hard, harder than me!
‘Look at her now – I am so proud, her sense of humour and we had so much fun everyday – she cracks me up laughing!’
There are now only five couples left in the competition, with each of the remaining pairs set to take on Musicals Week next Saturday night.
Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday at 7.25pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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The judges are really splitting hairs at this point.