Strictly Come Dancing viewers have been left reeling after the shock elimination of popular contestant Vicky Pattison, who was voted off the BBC show on her 38th birthday.
A Birthday Dance-Off Disappointment
The reality television star became the seventh celebrity to leave the competition after failing to win over the judges with her jive performance to Girls Aloud's "Sound of the Underground". Her exit carried extra emotional weight as it occurred during a Sunday results show that aired on her birthday.
Pattison found herself in the dreaded dance-off against EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and her professional partner Julian Caillon. The judges were unanimous in their decision to save Sopal, who had delivered an American smooth routine to Mary Wells' classic "My Guy".
An Emotional Farewell
Speaking to co-host Tess Daly in her exit interview, an emotional Pattison confessed that nerves had affected her performance during the critical results show. "I let my nerves get in the way," she admitted. "I'm so, so gutted."
The elimination was particularly poignant as the remaining couples were competing for a place in the iconic Blackpool Week, where dancers perform at the legendary Tower Ballroom. Pattison expressed surprise at having made it so far in the competition, revealing she hadn't expected to survive her first dance.
She paid a heartfelt tribute to her professional partner, Kai Widdrington, saying: "I don't want to sound too cheesy, but you've been the best partner a girl can ask for. I'm so sorry I didn't get you to Blackpool, but I feel like I've won just by having you as my partner."
Social Media Outpouring
Widdrington took to Instagram on Sunday evening (16 November) to share his "genuine sadness" at their departure from the show. He posted a glowing tribute to his celebrity partner, writing: "You not only conquered your fears and your nerves, but you showed the world what an amazing dancer you are and how far you've come from being a complete novice."
The professional dancer expressed his pride at having been Pattison's partner and thanked their "incredible" supporters who had voted for them throughout the competition.
Fans quickly flooded social media with messages of support and disappointment:
- "So sad to see you go, my favourites from the first week"
- "It's been amazing to watch Vicky progress each week"
- "Utterly heartbroken. Loved this team. You rocked that dance floor!"
- "Kai, I'm so gutted for you both. You two were amazing!"
The episode saw Love Island's Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin top the leaderboard with an impressive score of 38 for their dramatic paso doble to Aerosmith's "Dream On". Judge Anton Du Beke described their performance as "thrilling to watch" and "very exciting".
The remaining seven couples will now prepare for the special Blackpool Tower Ballroom episode, while Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One on Saturday at 6.35pm.
