Chris Appleton has become the first celebrity to leave this year's Strictly Come Dancing after losing the first dance-off of the series. The celebrity hair stylist, 43, was partnered with professional dancer Amy Dowden, 36, but the pair were unable to secure enough support to stay in the competition.
Bottom two after lowest combined scores
After two weeks of live shows, Chris and Amy were among the two couples with the lowest combined scores from the judges and public vote. They faced actress Jaime Winstone and her professional partner Carlos Gu in the dance-off, with both couples given one final chance to impress the judging panel.
Chris and Amy performed their cha-cha-cha to I'll Be Ready from Baywatch for a second time, while Jaime and Carlos danced to Oh, Pretty Woman from Pretty Woman.
Judges vote to save Jaime and Carlos
The judges were asked to decide which couple they wanted to save. Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all chose to save Jaime and Carlos, who won last season with former footballer Karen Carney. Craig Revel Horwood had the deciding vote and said he would have also chosen Jaime and Carlos had he needed to make the final decision.
It means Chris and Amy's time on the BBC dance show has come to an end after just two weeks. The pair had initially struggled to make their mark on the competition, scoring 16 points for their tango during the opening live show. They returned for Movie Week hoping to improve their position and managed to score 17 points for their cha-cha-cha.
Praise for improvement
While the score was still towards the bottom of the leaderboard, Motsi and Anton both praised Chris for showing a "huge improvement" in his second performance. Anton told him: "The performance was another level, and the dancing will keep improving if you keep at it."
Chris had previously admitted he was determined not to disappoint his professional partner, telling viewers after their routine: "I did not want to let Amy down." He added: "I am really trying but also really enjoying it."
Career and results show highlights
Away from the dancefloor, Chris is known for working with some of the biggest names in showbiz, including Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Sofia Vergara, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry.
The results show also featured a performance from the Strictly professionals inspired by The Devil Wears Prada. The cast of Matilda The Musical also took to the stage, with the four young performers who play Matilda singing Quiet alongside composer Tim Minchin.
For Amy, the result marks another early exit from the BBC show after she was also the first professional eliminated last season alongside The Apprentice star and businessman Thomas Skinner. Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One.
