Tom Dean says Strictly Come Dancing exit was ‘genuine shock’

Tom Dean admitted being eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing came as a "genuine shock", adding he is “gutted”.

The Olympic swimmer was the first celebrity to leave the competition this year after he and professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova lost to Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones in the dance-off on Sunday (29 September).

Appearing on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two on Monday (30 September), the Olympian said: "I don't know what more either of us could have done, it was a genuine shock."

The swimmer told host Fleur East: "I definitely wanted to go further in the competition. I am gutted, there is no two ways about it.”