Celebrities have danced their way into the semi-final of Strictly Come Dancing but after a week of double performances from the remaining couples, one had to leave.
Since there was no elimination last week, the scores for the remaining four couples were rolled over to semi-final week and added to the scores received for the two dances.
Semi finalists Layton Williams, Bobby Brazier, Ellie Leach and Annabel Croft battled it out to secure their place in the final but despite some high scores this week, one couple had to leave the competition.
During the results show, the Strictly professionals performed a group number and Take That performed their new single This Life.
Who left Strictly Come Dancing?
The 10th celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing was former tennis player Annabel Croft and her professional partner Johannes Radebe.
This means the couples through to the final of the dancing competition are Layton and Nikita, Ellie and Vito and Bobby and Dianne.
Croft, 57, and Radebe joined Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell in the dance-off but didn’t do enough to get to the final stage.
Croft, whose husband Mel Coleman died earlier in the year, thanked her dance partner Johannes and told him he had given her “a reason to get out of bed”.
In the dance-off, Croft and Radebe performed a Viennese waltz in the style of Slow Moving Millie’s cover of Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want, by indie band The Smiths while soap star Brazier and Buswell performed their quickstep to Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Croft while Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and head judge Shirley Ballas opted to save Brazier.
Ballas said: “The semi-final 2023, I thought both couples were absolutely extraordinary, I felt that both couples lifted their performance, I thought there was technical qualities on both sides, improvements galore, but again one tiny mistake coming out of a pivot turn and therefore my decision would be to save Bobby and Dianne.”
Former tennis champion Croft said: “It’s been the most life-changing and extraordinary experience of my life.
“I have to congratulate Bobby and Dianne and all the contestants that took part in it.
“But obviously, it’s been an amazing, magical experience for me. Johannes, you have been absolutely extraordinary.
“You have given me a reason to get out of bed and come and dance with you, distract me and to heal me.
“I can’t thank you enough for that. You have been so patient, so caring and so loving.
“You are an unbelievably special human being. I simply adore you. Thank you so much.”
Johannes told Croft: “I would like to say thank you. Thank you for making the decision to come here.
“Thank you to Strictly Come Dancing for sending her my way. My life is richer with you in it.
“I hope we dance long after this has ended. You know my heart and I just want to tell you thank you, Annabel.”
Croft added: “It’s been the most incredible rollercoaster ride, I have had every single emotion you can imagine.
“I really want to thank Strictly for letting me take part in this competition.
“Thank you to the judges, for your amazing comments and guiding us all along.
“But I also see this as a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle and I wish that everyone in the public could see what goes on behind the scenes because it’s quite extraordinary the machinery that makes it work and makes the show what it is.
“The most wholesome family entertainment magical show with so much glitz and glamour and so much enjoyment for everybody.
“It has been amazing and I can’t thank everyone enough. Thank you so much Johannes, for the most special time I have had with you.”
Recommended reading:
- Strictly's Annabel Croft says dance journey is 'emotional' after losing husband
- See the Strictly Come Dancing scores and leaderboard for semi-final week
- Strictly Come Dancing viewers slam 'most pointless' episode ever
Croft and Radebe will be joining host Fleur East on Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two on Monday, December 11 at 6.30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
How to watch the Strictly Come Dancing final 2023
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final will air live on Saturday, December 16 at 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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