Strictly fans ‘breathe a huge sigh of relief’ as latest eliminated contestant announced

Most seemed to agree with the judges’ decision

Fans of the BBC reality series Strictly Come Dancing have voiced their approval for the series’ latest elimination.

In Sunday night’s (8 December) result’s show episode, the competition cut loose its 11th celebrity contestant, leaving just four remaining.

Having come last in the public vote, Pete Wicks (of Towie fame) and Love Island star Tasha Ghouri faced each other in the dance-off, alongside their respective pro partners Jowita Przystal and Aljaž Škorjanec.

Wicks and Przystal danced the Argentine Tango to “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve, while Ghouri repeated her waltz from the previous night, set to “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin.

By unanimous decision, it was decided by the judges that Wicks would be leaving the show, sending Ghouri through to the grand final to compete against Chris McCausland, Sarah Hadland, and JB Gill.

Wicks’s time on the series was not without controversy. The reality star proved a divisive figure with audiences, and was frequently targeted with criticism for remaining in the series at the expense of others.

Fans of the series agreed with the decision, making their thoughts known on social media.

(BBC/Guy Levy)

“Pete’s gone we can finally do a HUGE sign of relief,” one person wrote.

“Honestly this has to be the only decision I agree with this season,” remarked another. “As fun it has been watching Pete I feel like he peaked weeks ago and unfortunately with the people left he just hadn’t developed those skills to get up to their level.”

“It’s right that Pete is the one going out tonight,” wrote a third. “but he’s such a lovely, lovely man I will really miss him.”

In late November, Wicks said that he had received death threats from viewers unhappy about his continued presence on the series.

“I am speechless every week, especially this week because I’ve tried my best,” he said on Sunday (1 December) after being announced as safe.

“I’m just a bloke trying to learn stuff; the fact that I get to take Jowita to a semi-final means so much to me because she deserves it, she deserves everything. I just didn’t wanna let her down tonight by messing it up.”

Speaking to host Tess Daly after his elmination, Wicks said: “It’s been wild. I’ve been quite honest about the fact that I didn’t necessarily want to do this [Strictly] in the first place, but everyone else wanted me to do it, and I am so, so glad that I did it!

“You don’t always have to be the best, but if you enjoy something then why shouldn’t you have a go at it? I’ve tried my best from day one, I said I was in for a penny, in for a pound and I’ve done it, it’s been beautiful.”