Seventh celebrity eliminated from Strictly says ‘It’s right I am going out’
Three of the judges went for one celebrity while Shirley Ballas disagreed.
A seventh celebrity has been eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing after facing the dance-off.
Sunday’s episode of the BBC One show saw Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, 53, lose out to 79-year-old broadcaster Angela Rippon.
Guru-Murthy said: “Look, this has been the most incredible experience. I said it has been life-changing and it genuinely has. I am incredibly grateful to the entire production team, judges, my incredible Strictly family up there.
“It’s right I am going out this week and I have got to get back to life. The thing that has made Strictly really special is Lauren.
“She is most incredible teacher, partner, friend. She is the real Strictly star and I am so delighted I am the first partnership you have had. She is going to go a long way and I am very proud of her.”
During the show, Guru-Murthy performed a samba routine to Bamboleo by Gipsy Kings, alongside professional Lauren Oakley, while Rippon and her partner Kai Widdrington took to the floor for a paso doble to Hung Up by Madonna.
Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all opted for Rippon while saying the dance-off had been close.
Mabuse said she had been “undecided” and she and Du Beke both said their choice was about the “fundamentals”.
Revel Horwood called Guru-Murthy “magnificent” and hailed Rippon for “miraculously” saving a kick, but in the end the judge chose the latter contestant.
Head judge Shirley Ballas said: “Well, I picked the person that I felt was more grounded on their feet without any technical errors, and I would have saved Krishnan and Lauren.”
Oakley said: “This guy (Krishnan) is what Strictly is about – from not having danced a step eight weeks ago, and you just danced that samba.
“I had an absolute ball every single week. You taught me so much as well, I am so grateful and it will be in my memory forever, and we will keep dancing.”
The show opened with a Remembrance Sunday routine by the professional dancers.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and 11-year-old daughter Virginia performed a rendition of Hallelujah by Canadian singer-songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen.
Bocelli has previously performed with Virginia at the O2 Arena alongside son Matteo, 26, and the trio released an album, A Family Christmas, last year.
Heading to next week’s prestigious Blackpool Tower Ballroom event are: Bad Education star Layton Williams and partner Nikita Kuzmin, former Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach with Vito Coppola, Casualty star Nigel Harman with Katya Jones, tennis player Annabel Croft with Johannes Radebe, presenter Angela Scanlon with Carlos Gu, and EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier with Dianne Buswell, as well Rippon and Widdrington.
The Strictly Come Dancing Blackpool Special airs on Saturday at 6.40pm on BBC One.
