Strictly viewers weren’t happy with judges’ "rude”, "disrespectful" comments about one couple
The latest ballroom exit saw some barbed comments from Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood
After another ballroom showdown this weekend, Strictly Come Dancing had to wave goodbye to a ninth celebrity, this time Graeme Swann and his partner Oti Mabuse.
However, viewers at home were irked by the judges’ remarks on Sunday's show after the cricket star’s dance-off against Ashley Roberts.
- Where is Strictly Come Dancing filmed?
- What time is the Strictly Come Dancing 2018 Christmas special on TV?
- Sign up for the free RadioTimes.com newsletter
As he voted to send Graeme home, Bruno Tonioli said: "No disrespect but it’s evident. Overall much much stronger on every level, come on, it’s Ashley. Ashley and Pasha."
Craig Revel Horwood – who voted to save Ashley alongside the rest of the panel – said: "For me, it’s a no-brainer and the couple I’d like to save: Ashley and Pasha.”
Many fans felt the remarks were “rude” and "disrespectful", especially since Ashley had more dance experience thanks to her pop career.
Fortunately, Graeme took the comments in his stride, joking after his elimination: “Secretly I’ve had 25 years of ballroom experience but I kept that to myself! No, I was a novice coming into this.”
He added: “I’ve just had the best of times I’ve had the worst of times, it’s been very hard missing the kids and the wife. Blackpool I will never forget, this whole experience I will never forget and Oti I will never forget you, you absolute hero.
“To be honest let’s face it when you get down to the nitty-gritty of this competition, I was on borrowed time – unless I learnt to fly or something I wasn’t going to past here.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues at 7:05pm on Saturday on BBC1
