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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Charlotte Tutton

Strictly's Rhys Stephenson voted off BBC show as he misses out on final

Strictly Come Dancing star Rhys Stephenson was the latest contestant to be voted off the BBC series this weekend.

Narrowly missing out on a place in the live 2021 final, Rhys and his professional dance partner Nancy Xu effectively came fourth place on the show.

His exit means AJ Odudu and her partner Kai Widdrington, Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice and John Whaite and Johannes Radebe will all battle it out next weekend for the Glitterball Trophy.

Rhys faced the dreaded dance off after a jam-packed semi-final on Saturday night, with this not being his first time in the bottom two.

This time around, he had to dance again with Nancy against John and Johannes.

Strictly Come Dancing star Rhys Stephenson was the latest contestant to be voted off the BBC series (PA)

All four remaining couples performed two routines on Saturday, and everyone got great feedback and scores as they gave it their all.

But sadly, it wasn't enough to keep Rhys in all the way to the final, as he bowed out after the dance off.

Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Head Judge Shirley Ballas all had to choose who to save between John and Rhys.

Rhys had to dance again with Nancy against John and Johannes (BBC)

All four judges were in agreement too, choosing to save John and Johannes who made history on the show this year as the series' first ever male same-sex couple.

Craig explained of his choice: "In all the years I’ve been doing the show since 2004, I really do not want to make this decision tonight.

"This has been one of the most amazing dance offs I’ve ever witnessed. Both couples are equal and both couples deserve to go through and I just want to put both couples through. I know I’m not allowed to do that so I have to choose.

"I’m going on the technical side and it’s to do with clean finishes. I’d like to put through to the final, John and Johannes."

Motsi added: "Well, I think both couples deserve to stay in the competition but that is not how it works. For me this was a very difficult decision, but I’m going to save John and Johannes."

CBBC star Rhys Stephenson and his professional dance partner Nancy Xu came fourth place on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing (BBC)

Anton's vote sent Rhys home, as he said: "Like Motsi and Craig, I’d have you both in the final quite frankly. Rhys came out and danced and I thought that would do for me.

"John came out and I thought, here we go. But then, you’ve just got to look at it and go, OK what do I like? For me tonight, in such an even contest, my nod goes to John and Johannes."

Shirley added: "Yes, it was very close but I would have saved John and Johannes."

Strictly Come Dancing's 2021 final airs live at 7pm on Saturday 18 December on BBC One.

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