Strictly Come Dancing fans were left stunned over the weekend as Lewis Cope and professional dancer Katya Jones became the latest couple to be eliminated from the competition. The 30-year-old former Emmerdale star, who had topped the leaderboard most weeks and scored the show's first 40, found himself in the dance-off against Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin.
Following the shock exit, Lewis's girlfriend Rach Lopez took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to her partner. She wrote: 'Lew, proud doesn't even begin to cover it. Watching you on Strictly has been one of the greatest highlights of my life. Watching you grow into this braver, freer version of yourself has made my heart so full.'
Rach also acknowledged the pressure Lewis faced, saying: 'What most people never saw was the pressure you carried, especially with everyone assuming you'd walk in as a trained dancer (which you absolutely weren't!). But you handled those expectations with such grace and gave everything you had, every single day.'
In a separate message, Rach praised Katya Jones for her support, writing: 'To the incredible Katya - thank you. What you gave him on this journey was so much more than choreography. You created a place where he felt safe, supported, and truly seen.'
Lewis responded to his girlfriend's post with: 'And this is why I love you so much,' followed by heart emojis. The couple have been together for several years, with Rach regularly attending the live shows to support him.
