Dame Sarah Storey has broken her silence after becoming the latest celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing, paying tribute to her professional partner Julian Caillon and admitting she was "disappointed" not to continue.
The 48-year-old Paralympian was eliminated from the BBC show on Sunday night (October 18) after landing in the dance-off alongside actress Bethany Antonia. Sarah received the least amount of votes from viewers, and after both couples performed their routines again, the judges unanimously decided to save Bethany.
Instagram Tribute to Her Partner
Following her exit, Storey took to Instagram to reflect on her time on the programme. Sharing an image of herself and Caillon in character for their routine, where she took on the role of Shania Twain for Icons Week, she wrote: "Thank you for being the best pro I could have ever wished for @julian_caillon you really are a wonderful and fabulous human, and I so loved our time on the show."
She added: "Shorter than we wished for, I will miss not learning a new dance with you tomorrow and trying to put all the tips and feedback into practice. PS, I love your idea of a bike ride."
Fans and Partner Show Support
The post quickly attracted supportive comments from fans. One person said, "Ahh, well done, Sarah loved watching you." Another wrote: "Such a brilliant pairing, you'll be so missed." A third commented: "You've been fabulous, Sarah, so sad to see you go out."
Caillon also replied: "So proud of you and how much you've grown as a dancer!! Have loved spending time together, having a boogie and can't wait to get some more rides in."
Reflecting on the Exit
Speaking to BBC presenter Abi Clarke on Strictly: Lights Up moments after the decision, Caillon praised his partner, saying it was the best she had ever danced. Storey expressed her sadness that her journey was over, saying: "We said to each other backstage, you've just got to take on board those comments and put them into practice immediately, and so, that's what we did. I'm also disappointed that I don't get to bring it on Monday to try and do the same again."
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday on BBC One from 6.30pm.
