STRICTLY Come Dancing pro Aljaz Skorjanec broke his silence last night after fans were convinced he was quitting the show.
The 31-year-old took to Instagram to pay tribute to his partner Sara Davies as they lost their place in the competition following a dance off against Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin.
Alongside a picture of him and Dragons' Den star Sara, he wrote: “We have been having so much fun from day 1. It was such a joy to dance with you every single day for the last 10 weeks.
“You transformed yourself every single weekend into a beautiful dancer. A real testament to how working hard towards something, can make dreams come true.
“I LOVED every second of it! Thank you partner! @saradaviescc #haway.”
Earlier in the evening, the dancer had sparked concern he was handing in his resignation as he appeared to suggest he would “miss” working on the show.
Read our Strictly Come Dancing live blog for the latest updates….
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Who are the Strictly judges?
Shirley Ballas has returned as head judge for the 2021 series.
Craig Revel Horwood has also taken up his role as judge – which he has been doing since the show’s inception in 2004.
Motsi Mabuse has also returned for a third series.
They are all joined by Anton Du Beke who replaces long running judge Bruno Tonioli.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have also returned to their duties as co-hosts.
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Baby love
Strictly Come Dancing star AJ Odudu has dropped another huge hint of romance with partner Kai Widdrington after referring to the show pro as “baby.”
Following the pair’s stunning paso doble routine on Saturday’s BBC One show, which saw them secure their place in next week’s episode, their cute off-camera conversation has come to light.
Broadcaster AJ, 33, suffered a wardrobe mishap mid-routine when she slipped on her billowing yellow dress in the feisty routine and appeared to address the blunder in their debrief.
As they lay on the floor following the routine’s final steps, Strictly Come Dancing‘s newbie pro Kai told her: “Well done.”
AJ can then be heard apologising: “Sorry baby,” before he reassures her and said: “It’s OK. Well done.”
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Quids in (continued)
And it’s not just Instagram. Tilly can also charge around £7,000 for a post on TikTok, where she has more than 9m followers.
Those taking part in Strictly are often some of the most talked about stars in the country so it’s no surprise that many take advantage of it when it comes to social media.
A show source said: “For those taking part social media is a big deal in speaking directly to their fans and trying to secure votes.
“Many of the celebs have teams working round the clock on it, particularly on Saturday nights, when everyone gets ready to save their favourite celeb.”
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Quids in
Tilly Ramsay is already a winner following her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing – thanks to lucrative sponsored posts on Instagram.
The 20-year-old is currently competing in the BBC dancing competition with professional Nikita Kuzmin, and it seems her growing profile off the back of that is helping her to charge huge amounts for sponsored social media posts.
She currently boasts 1.2m followers on Instagram, where tech-firm Influencer Marketing Hub estimate Tilly could charge £30k per post.
Gordon Ramsay’s daughter is juggling Strictly with her first year of university, where she’s studying psychology, but Marketing Hub say: “She’s already pocketed enough to pay off her tuition fees and have enough left over for some presents.
“Win or lose on the show she’s done really well from being on Strictly.”
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What are the dances this week?
Musicals Week is now a Strictly institution on a par with its Halloween special.
Producers have once more dipped into the pantheon of top shows which include the greatest songbooks of the West End and Broadway.
Here’s what the celebs and their partners will perform on Saturday, and the classic tunes that have been chosen.
AJ & Kai – Waltz Edelweiss (Sound Of Music)
Rose & Giovanni – Quickstep Love Is An Open Door (Frozen)
Tilly & Nikita – Couple’s Choice Revolting Children (Matilda)
Dan & Nadiya – Charleston Good Morning (Singin’ In The Rain)
John & Johannes – Viennese Waltz Chim Chim Cher-ee (Mary Poppins)
Rhys & Nancy – Jive Footloose (Footloose)
Tom & Amy – Couple’s Choice On My Own (Les Miserables)
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Making up Mulan
Through her role on Strictly she has fearlessly helped to tackle assumptions about deaf people.
And Rose Ayling-Ellis‘s courage owed much to growing up watching the Disney animated musical Mulan, which is based on a Chinese folk story about a brave young girl.
For years Rose assumed that the central character was fiercely independent too – so she was disappointed to learn that all her actions are done for the sake of a man.
Rose said: “When I was little I used to watch it with no subtitles, and I understood the storyline in a completely different way to what actually happens.
“When I watched it recently with the subtitles I was disappointed – my version was much better.”
It’s safe to say EastEnders star Rose won’t be playing Mulan in Musicals Week.
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Whaite to go!
He triumphed on the Great British Bake Off thanks to a few PAUL HOLLYWOOD handshakes – now John Whaite could win a place in the West End thanks to Strictly.
The cake-maker turned dancefloor star has received a string of offers to go on stage after dazzling directors with his moves on the BBC1 dance contest.
He’ll need them more than ever when Strictly’s Musical Week kicks off this Saturday, with all the couples performing to show tunes.
But John now has an extra reason to dazzle.
A TV insider said: “It’s not just his moves on Strictly that have caught the attention of directors, it’s also the charisma and confidence he’s shown as he finds himself in the spotlight.
“Being in the show’s first same-sex partnership with Johannes Radebe could have been an intimidating prospect, but far from being a shrinking violet he’s been a shining star.
“Plus he’s been posting videos where he’s singing and playing the guitar, making him a ‘triple threat’ in the West End.”
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Gio who?
Maura Higgins is looking for love… but celebs only need apply.
The stunning Love Island star has joined celebrity dating app Raya, less than a month after splitting from Giovanni Pernice.
The 30-year-old’s new profile comes after her Strictly ex issued a statement insisting there was “absolutely no wrong-doing” ahead of their break-up.
The dancer, 31, had been forced to take to Instagram after it emerged he had also re-joined Raya.
Last night a source said: “Maura is a stunning girl and has already been bombarded with offers and swipes.
“She won’t be single for long.”
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When does the Strictly live arena tour kick off?
The Strictly Come Dancing tour features dates in Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester and Sheffield.
It will also stop off in Liverpool, Glasgow, Nottingham and London.
It will take place in January and February next year, with the first dates kicking off at the Utilita Arena Birmingham on January 20.
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When is Strictly next on TV?
Strictly continues next Saturday (November 20, 2021).
The results show will air the following day on Sunday (November 21, 2021).
You can also catch any missed episodes on the BBC iPlayer.
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Craig out for the count
Strictly has been thrown into chaos once more after Craig Revel Horwood sensationally pulled out of the show after catching Covid.
The judge will now have to go into isolation after becoming the first member of the panel to test positive for coronavirus on the BBC dance contest.
It means that Craig – widely known as ‘Mr Nasty’ – will miss this Saturday’s Musicals Special and producers now face a mad scramble to find someone to replace him.
It comes after the 56-year-old revealed the “major problems” he faces with his fellow judges because of the show’s Covid screens.
A TV insider said: “This is the latest blow to hit Strictly as a result of Covid.
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Rose & Giovanni praise each other on social media
Now hotly tipped to win the BBC show, both Rose and Giovanni, 31, took to social media to praise each other.
Rose wrote: “@pernicegiovann1 I am so grateful that you created this magic for me to show the world the joy of being deaf [double heart emoji].”
Italian Giovanni wrote: “A moment that will remain forever in my heart [heart emoji] You really are a ROLE MODEL! @rose.a.e.”
Rose’s friend Aimee Campbell-Nottage, who is deaf and presents CBeebies sign language show Magic Hands, ran deaf awareness classes for this year’s Strictly participants, including signing. Aimee, 27, now believes Rose is a force for change.
She said: “People assume that deaf people cannot dance and Rose is changing that. This will show deaf children they can do anything.
“It’s brilliant Giovanni and and other dancers have learned signing. Rose will encourage more people to.”
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Fans fuming
Fans are furious about the results being leaked before the live show.
Oh, and that Dan’s heading for the finals.
One wrote: “Why are people surprised that there are SCD spoilers when the 2 programmes are filmed on Saturday.
“Dan’s still in because he works for the BBC, not for his dancing! #Strictly#Danfix”
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What did Tilly do before Strictly?
Tilly decided to follow in her famous father’s footsteps.
It all started when she appeared alongside Gordon on MasterChef Junior and Hell’s Kitchen from 2010 to 2015, before breaking out on her own.
However, Tilly first appeared on television in 2005 when she appeared alongside her brother and two sisters in Gordon’s Channel 4 show The F Word.
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From Walford to the Waltz
Strictly star Rose Ayling-Ellis has revealed that she’s left EastEnders to focus on her dancing with Giovanni Pernice.
The actress shocked fans when character Frankie Lewis left Albert Square on Tuesday night.
Rose – who plays Danny Dyer’s onscreen daughter – decided she needed a break from Walford after she was left fearing for her life last week.
Viewers were left sobbing as Frankie said an emotional goodbye to her dad Mick Carter and departed in a taxi to go stay with a friend.
“Normally, EastEnders makes you work at the same time as doing Strictly, but EastEnders gave me time off, so I can just focus on Strictly completely,” Rose told Metro.
The 26-year-old, who is the show’s first ever deaf contestant, has been wowing the judges weekly with pro Giovanni.
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Bark of approval
The Hearing Dogs for the Deaf charity have thanked Rose for being such a positive role model.
The organisation tweeted on Sunday: “We were really moved by Rose & Giovanni’s dance on last night’s #Strictly, and by what Rose & her mum said about her experiences of being deaf. People often underestimate the barriers deaf people face & Rose’s positivity & personality are, as Giovanni said, out of this world.”
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Who was in the dance off?
Davies was given her marching orders after a tense dance-off against Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin.
The judges voted unanimously for Ramsay and Kuzmin to stay in after their performance.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood said: “This is a really difficult decision because I gave both couples on Saturday night a seven.
“So very, very equal, which made the decision even more difficult.
“But I think for me, the couple that stood out a little bit more and had the edge: Tilly and Nikita.”
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Who else has caught Covid on Strictly 2021?
Craig is the latest member of the BBC programme to test positive following a string of absences from contestants in this year’s series.
Loose Women star Judi Love, who was the fifth contestant to be eliminated, was the most recent star to have tested positive.
Love had been due to perform a cha cha to Physical by Olivia Newton-John during the October 23 show but had to pull out.
And last month, McFly star Tom Fletcher and partner Amy Dowden returned to the dancefloor after testing positive for coronavirus.
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Who is Rose Ayling-Ellis’ boyfriend?
Rose has been dating her partner Samuel Arnold for several years.
The soap star has tried to keep her personal life out of the public eye, but has sometimes taken to social media to share sweet snaps of her and her beloved boyfriend.
The two have been pictured enjoying travelling together, and in 2019 Rose shared sweet snaps from their holiday in Peru.
Rose and her boyfriend travelled in the Amazon together, and Rose shared an emotional post about the experience.
“Nature is so beautiful and powerful”, she wrote, “we need to try our best to protect this planet”.
Rose is passionate about the environment, and it seems her Samuel accompanies her on these impressive travels, is too.
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‘Wooden’ Dan hits back
One fan accused Dan’s moves of being “wooden”, with one tweeting: “Even Dan Walker’s jazz hands are wooden!”
A second agreed: “Dan the wooden man WTF?”
Last night, Dan was forced to hit back at cruel trolls on Twitter, saying: “Please don’t shout at me. I’m having an amazing time, my kids are delighted & it’s only a TV show!
“For those asking, I don’t know who is voting for us (probably not Craig) but we’re incredibly thankful to everyone who is. See you next week. Can’t wait.”
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Who are the judges for Strictly Come Dancing 2021?
Shirley Ballas has returned as head judge for the 2021 series.
Craig Revel Horwood has also taken up his role as judge – which he has been doing since the show’s inception in 2004.
Motsi Mabuse has also returned for a third series.
They are all joined by Anton Du Beke who replaces long running judge Bruno Tonioli.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have also returned to their duties as co-hosts.
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Silence is golden
IT has been hailed as the television moment of the year – and a triumph for the deaf community.
Strictly viewers were moved to tears as Rose Ayling-Ellis, 26, and pro partner Giovanni Pernice danced in silence on Saturday night during their Couple’s Choice routine, which scored 39 out of 40.
Now campaigners hope it could lead to greater equality for disabled people — as well as better under-standing of deafness.
Former Strictly contestant and Invictus Games medallist JJ Chalmers said EastEnders star Rose’s dance would help “get us to where we want to be” with regards to attitudes around disability”.
Speaking yesterday, ex-Royal Marine JJ, 34, said: “We are making massive inroads to where we need to be in society and within broadcast, and that is wonderful. People like Rose will get us where we want to be.”
He added that it’s “nice to see people talking about her disability, yes, but also being able to look beyond it”.
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Kiss it better
Strictly Come Dancing’s Aljaž Škorjanec passionately kissed his wife Janette Manrara after he was booted off the show last night.
The 31-year-old star’s emotional reaction to his and celeb partner Sara Davies’ departure sparked speculation that he’d quit the programme and will not be returning to the series next year.
And amid his tears, former Strictly pro Janette was on hand to comfort the Slovenian hunk, with the two cuddling up in the back of their car.
While their driver took them back to their home, Janette affectionately leaned in to her husband, who was wearing a bold blue leopard print hoodie.
Aljaž can be seen smiling through the smooch, both stars’ eyes closed as they enjoy the intimate moment.
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Aljaz calls Sara Davies ‘the angel of the north’ as couple are eliminated
Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies was dumped out of Strictly after a dance off against Tilly Ramsay.
The businesswoman was shown the door after the judges voted to save Gordon Ramsay’s 20-year-old daughter and her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin, 23.
Sara, 37, said: “I had no idea any of this was in me. It’s been a life changing experience and one I’ve loved every second of.”
Partner Aljaz Skorjanec, 31, dubbed Sara, who comes from Co Durham, “the angel of the north” – referring to the giant sculpture near Gateshead in the neighbouring county of Northumberland.
He added: “You have been an absolute joy.”
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Who has been given the (glittery) boot so far?
Here’s who has left the show so far:
- Week two: Nina Wadia and Neil Jones
- Week three: Katie McGlynn and Gorka Marquez
- Withdrawn: Robert Webb and Dianne Buswell
- Week four: Greg Wise and Karen Hauer
- Week five: Ugo Monye and Oti Mabuse
- Week six: Judi Love and Graziano di Prima
- Week seven: Adam Peaty and Katya Jones
- Week eight: Sara Davies and Aljaz Skorjanec
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