Vicky Pattison has become the latest star to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing just days before the highly-anticipated Blackpool special. The reality TV star, who danced a Jive with Kai Widdrington during Saturday night's live show, found herself at the bottom of the rankings with a score of 27, tied with Balvinder Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon.
During the dance-off, the four judges decided to save Balvinder, meaning Vicky will not dance at the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom. The former Geordie Shore star expressed her disappointment but said she felt 'grateful' for the opportunity to dance with Kai on the show.
Meanwhile, Motsi Mabuse faced criticism from viewers after marking Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin's Paso Doble performance, which scored 38 out of 40 points, putting them at the top of the leaderboard. Fans on social media expressed displeasure with Motsi's judging, with one saying: 'Can someone tell Motsi to hold the paddle up until the end of each vote. It's series 23.' Motsi responded: 'You will survive, trust me.'
After the results show, Kai shared a tribute to Vicky on social media, writing: 'Wow, what a journey! While it is with genuine sadness we leave the competition, it has been the most amazing fun and pleasure dancing with the wonderful Vicky Pattison.' He praised her for conquering her fears and nerves, and thanked supporters for their votes.
Balvinder Sopal has been hailed as a 'fighter' after surviving her fourth dance-off of the series, equalling Jamelia's record from 2015. Fans expressed delight at her resilience, with one saying: 'I'm just really happy for Bal! When I saw she was against Vicky I thought it was over for her.'
The remaining seven couples will perform at Blackpool's Tower Ballroom next weekend on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Vicky and Kai will appear on It Takes Two on Monday to discuss their Strictly journey.
