Ross King, the showbiz correspondent and Strictly Come Dancing contestant, has been eliminated from the BBC series after a visa issue forced him out of the United States. The 58-year-old was axed from the competition on Sunday night following a dance-off against EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal.
King and his professional partner Jowita Przystal found themselves in the bottom two for the second consecutive week. Last week, they were unanimously saved by the judges over Tom Skinner and Amy Dowden, but this time the judges all voted to save Balvinder Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon.
An emotional King struggled to speak as his departure was announced, pulling host Tess Daly in for a hug. Shortly after the show, he broke his silence on Instagram, thanking the cast, crew, friends, family, and fans for their support. 'You kept me inspired with your kind words and kept me in the competition with your votes,' he wrote.
King's exit comes amid reports that his visa application to remain in the US was denied, preventing him from returning to his role as a US-based entertainment correspondent. He had been commuting between the UK and US for the show.
Tess Daly responded to his post, saying: 'Adored by the entire team you will be SO MISSED Ross.' Former rugby player Chris Robshaw also commented: 'Ross you are an amazing man and you shall be missed.' King and Jowita will appear on Monday's It Takes Two to reflect on their Strictly experience.
