Dame Sarah Storey has broken her silence after becoming the latest celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing, admitting she is disappointed her time on the show came to an end sooner than she hoped.
The 48-year-old Paralympian found herself in the bottom two on Sunday night (October 18) alongside actress Bethany Antonia, having received the fewest votes from viewers. After both contestants reprised their routines, the judges unanimously chose to save Bethany, ending Sarah's stint on the BBC programme.
Gratitude to her professional partner
Following her departure, Sarah took to Instagram to reflect on her experience and express her thanks to her professional partner, Julian Caillon. She posted a photo of the pair in character for their routine, with Sarah embodying Shania Twain for Icons Week.
She captioned the post: "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."
Support from fans and partner
Comments soon poured in on the post, with many offering support to the ousted Strictly star. One person said, "Ahh, well done, Sarah loved watching you." Another wrote: "Such a brilliant pairing, you'll be so missed."
While another fan said, "You've been fabulous, Sarah, so sad to see you go out." One individual added, "You guys did great. So sad to see you go." With a fifth fan remarking: "So proud of both of you!!! Strictly won't be the same."
Her professional partner responded: "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."
Disappointment after the verdict
When Sarah was voted off, BBC host Abi Clarke chatted with her and Julian just after the verdict was delivered on Strictly: Lights Up. While Julian praised his celebrity partner, stating it was her best performance yet, Sarah voiced her disappointment that her journey had ended.
She said: "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 (October 24) on BBC One at 6:30pm.
