Strictly Come Dancing contestant Melanie Walters has broken her silence after being eliminated from the competition. The Gavin and Stacey star and her professional dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec became the second couple axed from this year's series, following Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden.
Dance-off defeat
Melanie and Aljaz reprised their Charleston to Ooh Ahh... Just A Little Bit during the dance-off on Saturday, facing Shaun Wright-Phillips and his partner Alexis Warr. While judge Motsi Mabuse opted to rescue Melanie, the remaining three judges backed Shaun, securing his place in next week's show, Icons Week.
Melanie addressed her departure on Monday's It Takes Two on October 12. She told host Ellie Taylor: "I'm fine, disappointed of course but it is what it is."
Emotional tribute to Aljaz
Speaking about Aljaz, she said: "It's really sad that I don't spend any more time with this lovely man, and it's been a blast, all of it, so yes it's sad that it's not going to continue."
Discussing the dance-off, she added: "It would have been really difficult going against any of them, we bonded so well. We all really, really have, and it would have been hard doing it with any other couple."
She concluded: "This third week was the best week. The first week, the Cha Cha, it was all very unknown and everything like that, the second week was very emotional for me, but the third week was a joy from beginning to end."
Missed Bonnie Tyler tribute
Melanie also disclosed that she had been gutted to miss out on paying tribute to Welsh legend Bonnie Tyler during the forthcoming Icons Week. She explained: "I would really have liked to have been in for this week for Icons week, we were going to do the Tango, and my icon was Bonnie Tyler. Sadly missed, and gone too soon... she was a neighbour of mine!"
Meanwhile on It Takes Two, Aljaz delivered a heartfelt tribute to his dancing partner, declaring: "It's difficult to put into words how proud I am of Melanie."
He continued: "From day one in rehearsals.... I'm immensely proud, if anyone could see Melanie on day one in rehearsals, how nervous and cautious, and then to see you go out in the first Cha Cha week, then Waltz, then this Charleston, the progress every single week was incredible."
"As a teacher, all you want is a student that puts in the work, puts in the effort, but you were just probably the best one I've had. You were so analytical, so respectful to our craft, and that's beautiful."
He added: "No words can make it right, or will really say enough. I know for a fact, we always say we're going to be friends forever... I want you in my life, I want us to be friends and to call each other because I feel like you put a smile on my face every single day and we all need people like that in our lives.
"You really are one of a kind and I know you're going to smash whatever you do, and I'm going to be your number one fan."
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two airs weeknights from 6.30pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.
