Strictly Come Dancing: Dan Walker has heartwarming response for critics who say he should have been eliminated
Presenter shared a sweet story about a widow he met in the park
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Your support makes all the difference.Dan Walker has issued a heartwarming response to critics questioning why he has not yet been eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.
The TV presenter is partnered with professional Nadiya Bychkova for this year’s season of the hit BBC reality series.
Walker narrowly stayed in the competition last week after beating swimmer Adam Peaty in a dance-off.
During a recent appearance on BBC Breakfast, Walker addressed Strictly fans who believe he should have been eliminated in last week’s episode (7 November).
“I had a chat with a lovely fella named Cecil in the park when I walked my dog on Sunday (7 November),” said Walker.
“He said that his wife died 30 odd years ago and they used to dance together and he said that he stopped dancing when his wife died.”
The 44-year-old continued: “Then he said, ‘I’ve watched Strictly this year for the first time in a long time. Watching you and Nadiya, like the enjoyment you get from dancing even though you’re not a dancer, you’ve never danced this before. I’ve loved watching that so much.’”
Walker revealed that Cecil had begun dancing again as a result, stating: “That’s what the programme is all about, isn’t it?” The broadcaster said that he didn’t “understand” that dancing could bring so much “joy” to people’s lives until he joined the competition.
He added that “you’ve got to work hard and try to improve every week”.
Walker later posted a photograph of an article headlined “How is TV Dan still in show? Fans left baffled” to his Instagram account.
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He accompanied the photo with a caption reading: “I’m not sure but we are incredibly thankful for all the support and it’s a true privilege to be a small part of the biggest show on the telly.
Walker added: “I know articles like this are sourced from a few comments on social media but each week I get thousands of messages from people who love the show and are really enjoying watching @nadiyabychkova teaching me to dance.”
“Whoever you vote for this weekend… I hope you enjoy the show. I will continue to do it with a massive smile on my face,” concluded the broadcaster.
Strictly airs on BBC One on Saturday night (13 November) with the results show following on Sunday (14 November).
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